Host
by AquaTurquoise
Summary: Sofia was under the impression that things were getting back to normal, but that couldn't be further from the truth. What begins as a normal outing with her partner and tiny Strawbaby quickly and drastically changes gears when she becomes the unwitting host for a determined and restless spirit. (Collab with MarionetteJ2X)
1. Unsettled

Host

Summary: Sofia was under the impression that things were getting back to normal, but that couldn't be further from the truth. What begins as a normal outing with her partner and tiny Strawbaby quickly and drastically changes gears when she becomes the unwitting host for a determined and restless spirit. (Collab with MarionetteJ2X)

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Nana and Tanya belong to MarionetteJ2X.

A/N: Hey, guys! :D Here we go with a new adventure, and boy, is Sofia in for a wild ride. Haha. You'll meet a new character (whom I personally ADORE), and we'll have a whole new situation to deal with—though some older elements are incorporated as well. Hope you all enjoy!

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Chapter 1: Unsettled

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Nearly a year had gone by since the destruction of the Never Realm, or so everyone believed. While the more notorious cults such as the Tenebrous, the Cainors, the Darvintes, and the Knalchos had been destroyed, one solitary cult had somehow managed to survive.

The Vilisators (literally derived from the expression 'Vile Creators') were known for crafting creatures of unimaginable proportions that shouldn't or couldn't possibly exist in any realm. The cult was responsible for numerous failed experiments, which would often be set free into the world to wreak havoc on unsuspecting innocents, while the perfected experiments would be kept at bay, awaiting any opposing attack.

For some reason, the Vilisators had opted to separate themselves from everyone else in the Never Realm when the other cults had originally begun plotting the takeover of the Ever Realm. They were often shunned and called a cowardly cult because of this, but their dark magic abilities and unstable experimentations still classified them as rather dangerous.

Upon discovering that the Never Realm itself had been destroyed, the cult (already sequestered away in a secondary realm) continued operating in their hidden location, plotting a way to spread their darkness to the deepest and darkest corners of the Ever Realm. They would succeed where the others had failed, even if it was the last thing they did.

While the rest of the cult members had been busy creating new experiments to form a perfect weapon of mass destruction, there was one member of the group who wasn't _completely _consumed by the darkness of the Never Realm. In fact, this man was instead fascinated by the beauty of the _Ever_ _Realm_, as taboo as it sounded.

His name was Victor, and he was in his late twenties. He was tall and slim, his lithe body wrapped in a long dark tunic and matching slacks, his heavy black boots covered in shiny silver buckles. His short hair was jet-black and styled neatly, and he had rather gentle bluish-green eyes for someone who worked for the former Never Realm.

Victor possessed incredibly dark magic, the likes of which consumed him. However, ironically enough, he had somehow managed to maintain the majority of his humanity (upwards of 90%), and very little dark magic expression. It was a unique and highly unusual situation for someone in the Vilisators, but he had somehow managed to pull it off.

Part of it was due to his origins. When he was younger, he'd been forced into the membership of the Never Realm when he'd been extracted from his loving family, traded for a meager bag of jewels, and enslaved by the original Vilisators. Though he was bitter about his situation, he didn't let it consume him.

The other part of his mostly untainted personality was because of his own creation. As previously mentioned, Victor had found the Ever Realm amazingly beautiful, and it had inspired him so much that he had created _her_…

Tanya, upon first glance, certainly _looked_ the part of an evil being from the devious cult. Her medium-length snowy white hair was tied into two loose ponytails on either side of her head. Her ears were long and pointed, peeping out through her loose locks. Her irises were a strange shade of purple, and where the whites of her eyes would normally be was nothing but darkness, casting a rather eerie effect. On her pale skin, she had parallel plum-colored markings spanning from her cheeks down her neck, and a few more lining her arms and her legs. Her upper body was wrapped in a sleeveless black turtleneck and a short red scarf, while her legs were covered by a billowing gray skirt that reached her knees. Instead of shoes, she went barefoot. And lastly, on her arms from her elbows and to the ends of her fingers, she wore some sharp gauntlets (appropriately named the Deathbringer), each one black as midnight with silver designs swirling through them and ruby-red diamonds embedded in the panoply, specifically on each finger, her hands, her wrists, and her elbows.

The young woman had been molded and shaped by Victor's own hands, every bit of his passion and endearment for the oh-so-different Ever Realm flowing into his new creation. Tanya, while highly dangerous and cult-based, had one thing the other Never Realm creations never had: the knowledge of kindness and compassion.

Victor had secretly taught her how to treat others well and keep a light heart, despite her dark surroundings. He'd often told her stories of his former quiet and peaceful life, which she absorbed willingly. And, due to her humanlike emotions that she'd acquired ever since her rogue master had taught her about the lighter side of life, she'd found herself falling in love with the very one who had created her.

What she didn't know is that he'd found himself doing very much the same thing. Despite their feelings, they'd had to keep it a secret, especially from the oh-so-suspicious cult members surrounding them. Everything they did was unusual and so unlike the rest of the group.

Victor and Tanya could always be found together, and they did attempt to put on a dark façade when in front of the other cult members. However, when they were alone, they would eat together or even play games with each other. The double life wasn't easy, but as long as they were together, they were happy.

However, one day, things started to change. After hearing about the defeat of the Never Realm, the hidden cult decided to cultivate a plan to fight whoever had defeated the most powerful and darkest realm in existence. In order to do that, of course, they'd need to use their most powerful creature: _Tanya_.

Victor refused. He wouldn't allow his most valuable creation, not to mention the unspoken love of his life, be used for such a horrible thing. To save her from certain doom, he fought the others when they came for her. He put up a good fight, but in the end, he was brutally murdered right in front of the love of his life's eyes.

And she grew angry, instinctively craving revenge, the darkness flowing from deep within her as her emotions overtook her. Out of vengeance for her fallen love and master, she killed nearly half of the cult members on her own, with the aid of her potent and perilous powers. Unfortunately, she soon became overwhelmed with the sheer number of people left, not to mention their own power, and she ultimately was slain as well.

Aggravated that their best chance for unleashing havoc on the Ever Realm had been destroyed (even by their own hands), the cult members returned to trying to find a suitable replacement. Unbeknownst to them, though, Tanya's spirit had somehow managed to linger around, even after her body (and her master's) had been carried away.

She spent quite some time wandering around the hidden realm, her need for revenge weighing heavily upon her heart as the memory of Victor protecting her then perishing before her eyes circulated in her mind. Angered and negatively motivated, she knew she'd have to go to the one place her love had always spoken so highly of: the Ever Realm.

Thankfully, being a spirit, she was able to transport from one location to another rather easily, and when she _did _successfully make it to the Ever Realm, she was taken aback.

It was _beautiful_. Victor had been right… He'd been right about everything.

The green grass tickling her bare feet as she walked, the blue skies with their cotton ball clouds, the sound of the water, the feel of the sun, the sway of the trees as the gentle wind blew by… It was amazing. So many sights to behold, sounds to take in as a new melody to her ears, fragrances to appreciate from the flowers and other flora… _This _was pure, untainted bliss. And now, she only wished she could have shared it with her love…

Now, though, she had a mission she had to focus on: locating a very powerful host body she could possess, so that she could carry out her revenge.

And thus, her search began…

To be continued…

Next Chapter: A Strange Feeling


	2. A Strange Feeling

Host

Summary: Sofia was under the impression that things were getting back to normal, but that couldn't be further from the truth. What begins as a normal outing with her partner and tiny Strawbaby quickly and drastically changes gears when she becomes the unwitting host for a determined and restless spirit. (Collab with MarionetteJ2X)

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Nana and Tanya belong to MarionetteJ2X.

A/N: So, you saw Tanya's background story and her tragic experience. You will soon see what happens with her wandering spirit, not to mention the others who will be impacted by her. Meanwhile, I'm well aware that this chapter is rather short. It's meant to be, because it's a bit of a segue to our next part. Don't worry. The other chapters will be longer! lol

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Chapter 2: A Strange Feeling

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Tanya's journey to locate a suitable host had begun a few months ago now, and her spirit had been wandering around the Ever Realm ever since. Meanwhile, things in Enchancia had definitely taken an…_interesting _turn.

Cedric, Sofia, and Nana were gathered in the princess's secret garden, enjoying some much-needed downtime after a recent and particularly challenging Mystic Isles mission. Long story short, they'd had to stop a herd of rampaging cows from plowing through a small village. The start of the charge? A troublesome pixie had been disturbing and flustering the cows, to the point where the bovine creatures finally had enough and set off after the nuisance.

Sofia was forced to use a very powerful spell, which quickly drained her of her energy, to calm the animals down significantly. Cedric had used a spell and captured the pixie, which the other Protectors soon took care of. Once things had settled down, Nana was able to heal any wounds that the villagers had sustained during their efforts to stop the rampage, though thankfully not many had acquired such injuries.

The picnic had been just what the trio had needed. Here they were, reclining on a blanket and against a tree, Sofia leaning against Cedric as he had one arm lazily draped around her, his fingers gently caressing her side and running through her hair simultaneously. The princess was slowly regaining her lost energy, and being able to just _rest _was doing her a world of good.

Sofia giggled as she saw the little Strawbaby before them munching on a dessert with some powdered sugar, the likes of which had begun to spread along her face. "Oh, Nana…"

Cedric chuckled before beckoning the little girl to him, smiling as she sat down in his lap. He conjured a cloth napkin, carefully cleaning her face. "There you are, little one." He winked as she grinned, magically casting the cloth away. "All clean again." He playfully tapped her nose.

Nana giggled before pausing, a sudden chill flowing through her and down her spine. Gasping quietly, she looked left and right, but she saw no one. Just the odd squirrel or butterfly moving along.

The partners took notice of the girl's strange behavior, and they immediately picked up on her nervousness.

"What's wrong, Nana?" Sofia asked, reaching out and caressing the child's head, causing her to relax a bit more. "It's all right, sweetie. Relax. Everything's fine."

She wanted to believe that. And she almost did, but a cold breeze suddenly rushed by them, roughly rustling the tree leaves and their clothing. Nana's eyes widened as she looked up at her guardian, who had begun groaning in pain and clutching her head, evidently due to a really bad headache. Nana whimpered softly, reaching out and touching the princess's arm, only to withdraw it as Sofia groaned again. Clearly, everything was _not _fine…

Cedric gasped as Sofia collapsed against him, her hands still pressed against her head and tears beginning to form in her eyes. "Sofia, what's wrong?" When he received no response from his partner, he grew a bit worried as he stood, carefully pulling her to her feet.

"Cedric," she cried softly, clutching his robe as the pain in her head increased. She could hear Nana's concerned whimpering and sniffles somewhere behind her, but even that wasn't enough to pull her out of her pain-induced detachment. "My head…"

The sorcerer carefully held the princess steady so that she wouldn't fall, though he did decide to change their positions as he lowered her to the ground once again, sitting before her and holding her hands as he observed her blue orbs fading in and out of focus, the irises practically clouded over now. "Stay with me, Sofia… Just breathe. You're all right."

Sofia felt a tear streak down her cheek as, through her blurry vision, she was barely able to make out the outlines of her little one and her partner. It was clear that Nana was now crying, and Cedric was trying to hold it together but was obviously close to panicking, but there was nothing she could do. Before she knew it, she'd blacked out entirely.

To be continued…

Next Chapter: Outside Looking In


	3. Outside Looking In

Host

Summary: Sofia was under the impression that things were getting back to normal, but that couldn't be further from the truth. What begins as a normal outing with her partner and tiny Strawbaby quickly and drastically changes gears when she becomes the unwitting host for a determined and restless spirit. (Collab with MarionetteJ2X)

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Nana and Tanya belong to MarionetteJ2X.

A/N: This chapter involves a few more people, along with a bit of Cedric's perspective on what's going on with Sofia. In the next chapter, you'll finally get a bit more of an official introduction to Tanya. 😉

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Chapter 3: Outside Looking In

* * *

Panicked by Sofia's unresponsive state, Cedric quickly gathered the princess into his arms as Nana crawled up to his shoulder, clinging to his head as her guardian sprinted as quickly as he could back to the castle. Upon arrival, his precious burden cradled in his arms, he hurried past several surprised spectators (including a shocked Cordelia, Calista, and Angel). "Call in the royal family," he told them firmly before they could begin interrogating him. "Hurry!"

Without hesitation, the other three set out to find the king and any of his family members.

Cedric all but barged into Sofia's room, wincing as the door slammed hard against her wall (hopefully not damaging it, though he knew he could fix it if necessary) before shutting behind him not long after. He moved over to the princess's bed and gently placed her against a massive set of pillows, his eyes trained on her face in hopes that she might awaken.

Nana crawled down from the sorcerer's shoulder and jumped onto the bed, landing on her hands and knees. She crawled over to her unconscious guardian and whimpered a bit before hugging her as tightly as she could.

"Don't worry, Nana," Cedric told his charge as he gently rubbed her back, his eyes trained on Sofia's face. "We'll figure out what's wrong with her. I promise."

He proceeded to check her vitals before testing to see if she had a fever, which she evidently did. "Strange," he murmured, frowning. "She wasn't this warm a while ago…" He shook his head and sighed. "Must be due to overexertion. Oh, Sofia…" He gasped and jumped a bit as the door to his partner's room slammed open, and he turned, blinking in alarm before sighing.

The royal family, along with Cordelia, Calista, Angel, Baileywick, and Nigel, had somehow all piled into Sofia's room, each one anxiously prodding Cedric for information.

"What happened, Cedric?"

"Is Sofia all right?"

"Did she pass out?"

"Where were you guys?"

"What's going on?"

"Please!" Cedric called out, a bit startled by his own voice and the serious undertone to it as he held up his hands. "I… Please, just give me some time to explain. I will tell you what I know."

The others listened attentively as Cedric filled them in on what had occurred earlier: how she'd needed rest after a Mystic Isles mission, and then she suddenly grew rigid and distant, and then she completely blacked out (to both his and Nana's alarm).

Roland frowned heavily. "I'll tell the guards to alert the medic so that he can come check on her."

"Wait, Dad," James insisted, pointing toward Nana. "Look."

Nana was jumping up and down on the bed, waving her tiny arms to try to get their attention. When she finally saw she had it, she emphatically pointed toward herself.

"She wants to heal her," Amber informed them, leaning against Desmond for support.

"Is that a good idea?" Nigel wondered. "She's so tiny; I'm sure that job alone must be exhausting for anyone, never mind a child."

"She's a great deal stronger than you think," Cedric responded, his hand gently caressing the little girl's back. "But I'm right here if anything should happen…" He never was one hundred percent comfortable with Nana healing others, even him and Sofia, but he knew it was part of her makeup and something she wanted to do of her own accord. He could help restore some of her lost energy if need be, though. He nodded toward Nana as she glanced imploringly at him. "Go ahead, little one."

Nana closed her eyes and concentrated her powers into her hands before raising one glowing palm to her guardian's forehead. Her eyes instantly flew open in shock as she quickly retracted her hand after feeling a quick surge erupting from the princess. She'd just been electrocuted.

"Nana!" Cedric gasped in shock, gathering the little girl into his arms. He quickly checked her over, but he found her to be in good condition. She just seemed a bit stunned, and with good reason. "Are you all right, my darling?"

She nodded before clutching onto his robe, her eyes darting back to her other guardian, who hadn't even budged.

The sorcerer gently guided the little girl into Miranda's embrace (as she and Corban had been sitting together, watching and waiting on any response from Sofia), and he decided to give his own magic a try. Inhaling slowly and releasing the breath, he reached out toward the sleeping princess, his own powers flowing through him and beginning to pool in his palm. The moment he touched her forehead, though, he was zapped with the same electricity Nana had been, but at an apparently higher voltage. He winced in pain as he collapsed onto the bed, a bit dazed.

"Ceddy?" Cordelia asked in alarm, hurrying over to her brother and gently easing him into a sitting position. "Are you all right?"

He stared at her for a few moments before turning toward the others. "This… I'm sorry, Your Majesties, but I don't know why my magic or Nana's magic won't work… I don't know how to fix this." Feeling defeated, he looked back toward his partner in dismay.

Roland frowned determinedly. "Then a medic may be our only hope. Thank you for trying, Cedric…" He looked toward the little girl in his wife's arms, offering her a small smile. "You too, Nana." The king turned to Desmond. "Could you call a guard and ask him to fetch a medic?"

Desmond nodded. "Yes, King Roland." He smiled as Baileywick took his spot, holding onto Amber as he left.

"What's wrong with her, Cedric?" Amber asked in despair, her eyes filled with worry and confusion as she stared at her unmoving sister. "What's wrong with Sofia?"

"I don't know, Princess Amber," he responded honestly, feeling utterly lost. "But…I won't rest until I find out what has happened to her. I assure you."

"Perhaps it is a form of the dark magic we have seen before," Angel suggested, though he sounded less than thrilled at the possibility. "I am certain that no Light Magic would cause this."

"Angel's right, Uncle Ceddy," Calista murmured as she sighed. "Whatever happened to Sofia to cause her to emit such powerful negative energy _has _to be linked to the darkness somehow."

"But it even repelled Nana," Cedric argued softly, glancing toward his charge. "She's from the Never Realm herself."

"But didn't you remove the dark mark that bound her to the cult that made her?" Cordelia asked, seeing her brother slowly nod. "Think about it, Cedric… She's more light than dark now. Whatever's got hold of Sofia could easily get hold of Nana too if we're not careful."

The sorcerer swallowed nervously as he watched the little one's eyes widen. He shook his head. "I won't allow it, Nana. I promise you."

Nana just smiled sadly.

* * *

Several minutes later, a medic arrived and asked the visitors to give him some room to work. As the others were standing off to the side, the older gentleman set to work, checking the princess's vitals and writing down a few notes in his tablet. He turned toward the royal family and the others and smiled calmly. "Princess Sofia will be fine. I suggest a few days to rest, and plenty of water and some medication I can get for her."

"What's wrong with her, Dr. Clarke?" Miranda asked worriedly. "What happened to our daughter?"

"I'm inclined to believe it's probably exhaustion and dehydration. Is she very active at all?"

"Let's see," James drawled sarcastically, placing one hand on his hip. "Protector duties, princess duties, sorceress duties, Story Keeper duties, taking care of Nana, taking care of _Cedric_…" He grinned as the sorcerer offered him a pointed stare. "You can deny it all you want, Cedric, but we _all_ know _that's _true."

The medic glanced between the sorcerer and the prince before nodding slowly. "I see… So she's quite busy, to put it shortly." He shrugged as he stood, snapping his bag shut. "It is my advice that we allow Princess Sofia to get plenty of rest for now. When she's awake, have her drink lots of water, and I'll work on getting you that medicine, King Roland."

The king nodded in appreciation. "Thank you, Dr. Clarke."

* * *

Later that evening, after everyone else had left, Cedric sat in Sofia's window seat, Nana nestled in his hold as he rested his head on top of hers and stared at his sleeping partner, the moonlight shining behind him and casting a few shadows over the room. He was worried. He'd told the others that he was going to stay and keep an eye on her, and inform them if she were to wake up.

He knew it wouldn't be that easy. Exhaustion and dehydration were possibilities, but neither of those would cause her to electrocute both Nana and him. It was evident to him that whatever was going on, it was something magical or closely related to it.

"Still," he mumbled, getting Nana's attention as she blinked up at him, "the shock certainly surprised us, but… It wasn't _that _bad, considering all the other instances we've faced. I've been in _much _worse pain than that. But still, where did that shock come from, and why didn't our magic work on Sofia, Nana?"

Nana sighed, shrugging once. She wasn't sure, and she wanted to know just as badly as he did.

"It's a bit unnerving," he admitted, "not knowing what's going on and how to help her. She's my responsibility now, and her safety is always my top priority, no matter how much things have changed between us…" He closed his eyes, holding Nana more securely, sighing as she rested her head on his shoulder. "I always want her to be safe… But it's a different feeling now, Nana… It's like…" He paused, pondering his thoughts. "I would…trade places with her in a heartbeat if it meant saving her life. I would lay down my own life for hers, even if that meant…permanently separating us." He frowned heavily. "Why must things always be so difficult, though? Why are people or situations _always _trying to force us apart, even after we've said that we'd never allow it to happen again?"

The little girl, of course, didn't respond. She just listened to the sorcerer as he talked.

"Ugh, I just want things to go back to normal. I want to see her smile, hear her laughter, feel her hugs…" He frowned, leaning against the wall as he noticed that Nana was peering at him with a curious expression. "I just want my Sofia back, Nana… Is that too much to ask?"

Nana slowly smiled, reaching up and placing her hands on the sides of his face. She mimicked what she'd seen him do with Sofia in the past, pressing her forehead to his for a few moments before kissing his nose.

Cedric chuckled softly and hugged the strawberry child to him. "Thank you, Nana… I needed that." He sighed as they both looked back toward Sofia's still form. "I guess all we can do now is wait…"

She nodded sadly, hoping beyond hope that their wait wouldn't be too long.

To be continued…

Next Chapter: Favored


	4. Favored

Host

Summary: Sofia was under the impression that things were getting back to normal, but that couldn't be further from the truth. What begins as a normal outing with her partner and tiny Strawbaby quickly and drastically changes gears when she becomes the unwitting host for a determined and restless spirit. (Collab with MarionetteJ2X)

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Nana and Tanya belong to MarionetteJ2X.

A/N: It's time to _officially_ meet Tanya! And actually 'hear' her speak, so to…speak. Lol. And we'll see how Sofia reacts to this restless spirit, and see exactly what sort of plan she has.

* * *

Chapter 4: Favored

* * *

Sofia groaned as she lifted a hand to her head, her headache from earlier dulling. Her eyes flew open as she sat up, glancing around, noticing that her surroundings were rather foggy and hazy. It was unnerving. She had no clue where she was. "I just remember Nana acting weird," she said softly, "and wanting to comfort her, but… Then my head started pounding." She frowned. "I don't even remember passing out." She gasped, looking around. "Cedric! Nana!" In the emptiness of the void, she could only hear the echo of her own voice coming back to her.

"You will find no one else here," came a new and unfamiliar voice, the soft alto timber sounding so surreal in this mystic place.

Sofia gasped, startled, as she stood to her feet. She turned and blinked as she saw a silhouette of a person hidden in the fog. Immediately, she grew defensive as she reached up to grasp her amulet, except… "It's not there," she gasped, glancing down and seeing that her precious piece of jewelry was indeed missing. She then glanced at her wrists and fingers, noticing that all her jewelry (GuardoRing, Berry Band, ES Bracelet, and Enchantlet) were _gone_. She was beginning to panic until the other voice spoke calmly to her.

"Do not worry. All of your items are still intact in the waking world."

"The _waking_ world?" Sofia's mouth dropped as she again glanced around her surroundings. "Am I dreaming?" she asked herself quietly, so the other person couldn't hear her. If she was, that would certainly explain things. She frowned as she glanced back at the still silhouette. "Who are you?" She gasped, her eyes widening, before taking a step back as the fog vanished and a young woman stood before her.

Those eyes were the first thing Sofia noticed: the calmly glowing purple irises pitted against the darkness where the whites of the eyes would normally lay. They were both somewhat frightening yet also intriguing, especially given the unusual trait. Her snowy-white hair was tied into two low pigtails with her pointed ears visible through the locks. She was wearing a red scarf around her neck, a black sleeveless turtleneck, a knee-length gray skirt, and no shoes. From her ankles to her legs, and up her arms and face, she had strange mark-like purple lines in a parallel fashion. But those eyes again sent shivers down the princess's spine, because they appeared so sinister and daunting in their obscure location.

"My name is Tanya," the woman told her gently as she curtsied to the confused princess. "I mean you no harm. In fact, it is quite opposite of that: if at all possible, I need your help."

"Are _you _the reason I had that bad headache earlier?" the auburn-haired girl asked, frowning as Tanya reluctantly nodded.

"I do apologize for that. I had a reason, I assure you, but perhaps it is best that I tell you a bit about myself first before explaining my situation."

Sofia gasped as two chairs appeared out of nowhere, and she and Tanya both landed in them. "This is so weird…" She then glanced back at the other girl. "Okay, Tanya… I'm listening."

Tanya told the princess everything: from her origins in the Vilisators as part of the now-defunct Never Realm, to her master, to her unusual creation and powers, to the present as well as her mission. As she finished, she noticed that Sofia seemed to be having trouble calming her breathing, her hand settled against her head in a soothing motion. "I am sorry to have troubled you…"

"It's just…" She frowned. "We defeated the Never Realm last year… Or at least I _thought _we did. I had no idea that one of the cults _survived_ the Never Realm destruction."

"As I mentioned, the Vilisators were seen as cowardly as opposed to the others. We were isolated from the original Never Realm to an extent…"

"R-Right…" The fact that Tanya was a powerful creation from one of the cults really made her nervous, especially since she had such a powerful aura surrounding her, even in this strange state. However, she didn't sense anything malicious about her—just worry. She also couldn't help feeling sorry for the woman, especially due to what had happened with her and her master. The fact that she was also a spirit now, wandering aimlessly and with the desire to seek revenge for the wrong she had encountered, only made her heart go out to her. Without hesitation, she reached out and gently grasped Tanya's hands from where she was sitting, despite the very scary and powerful gauntlets that she was wearing.

Tanya appeared startled by the princess's actions, but she soon relaxed as she found her gesture comforting, especially after losing Victor so recently. This small form of kindness was so much appreciated.

Sofia released her hands and looked her straight in the eye. "My name is Princess Sofia, by the way. And I want to help you. Just tell me how I can aid you in defeating the Vilisators, because I've had more than enough terrible experiences with the Never Realm. I'm ready to be rid of them for good."

"As am I," Tanya responded, though she was hesitant to broach the next topic. "Given our common desire to do so… May I borrow your body for the time being?"

The princess froze at the question, but instead of jumping to conclusions, she asked, "My body?"

"Yes…" Tanya held out her arms, indicating their transparent state. "I am merely a spirit, and I need a living vessel—a body I can temporarily use—to track down the cult's new hideout. I fear they no longer reside where they did, as I have yet to locate them. For months, I have searched for a body powerful enough that could even outmatch the strongest of the Vilisators…" She smiled calmly toward the other girl as she lowered her arms. "No one has come close to you, Princess Sofia. As I was nearing the Enchancian boarder recently, I felt a strong surge of power from a nearby village. When I searched for the source, I found you, a tall man with two-toned hair, and a tiny red-toned girl (from whom I sensed something rather familiar, though I was unable to determine why). I saw that you were helping evacuate the villagers during a rampage of clearly disturbed cows, the likes of which were terrorizing people and their homes. It was to my utter amazement that you produced immense magic and energy to calm the cattle, but I noticed that it rendered you a bit weak as a result. And then the tall man and little child helped you before taking you back to the castle grounds not far from the village. And that was when I decided that you could be a good host body…but not before I sought your permission first."

Sofia blinked as she listened. It was so weird hearing someone recount the recent events, though she was unaware that Tanya had even _been _there.

"When you and your other two acquaintances were alone in a garden, relaxing, I quickly focused my energy to enter your body." She folded her arms as she sheepishly admitted, "I…had a bit of difficulty doing so, though. It seems your amulet's magic reacted to my dark powers, and it tried to repel me. I suppose it was a safeguard acting on its own accord, protecting you from invisible threats. However, I pleaded with the amulet to allow me through, and that I needed your help; I had and still have no intention of harming you. Your amulet did not respond for a while, but not too long later, its guard faded, which rather perplexed me. However, it then began pulling me instead of pushing me away, which caught me off guard, and before I knew it, I was occupying your body."

"So, _that's_ why my head was hurting so badly," Sofia surmised, watching as Tanya nodded, a guilty expression on her face.

"Yes…" She watched the princess, noticing a contemplative look crossing her features. "If you do not want to do this, I understand. I will continue my search for a willing host, and I…" She couldn't continue—not now. She was too emotionally spent to even _think _of continuing her quest of finding another host. She'd been at it for months now, and if the princess didn't agree…

Sofia inhaled slowly, watching Tanya. She could see and sense goodness, even behind the dark aura she produced. There was clearly no malicious intent, and her very caring aura overwhelmed the darkness, a direct contrast to her origins. It was so strange to see. However, she instantly thought of Nana, whose situation was very similar. She was a good girl, but she just had dark beginnings—which were not her choice, nor were they Tanya's.

It was clear to her that though her very existence had been created in the darkness and _by _the darkness, her overall outlook on life in general was very pure. She wished she could thank that rogue cult member for giving this young woman a chance to see the beauty in everything, not to mention the love and kindness she deserved.

Tanya glanced up as she noticed Sofia step up to her, standing directly before her. The spirit was worriedly biting her lip, waiting to hear what the princess had to say.

"All right," Sofia told her gently, smiling as Tanya gasped in surprise. "I'll help you, Tanya."

The purple-eyed woman was elated as she quickly jumped to her feet and hugged the princess with all the effort she had. Given that they weren't in the _real _world right now—and instead in the very confines of Sofia's mind—this was actually a possibility. "Thank you so much…"

She smiled happily and returned her hug, patting her back. "You're welcome…" She sighed in resignation as Tanya released her. "But before we do this, I have a favor to ask, just so everyone isn't worried about me…"

Tanya nodded. "Anything, Princess Sofia. What is it you would like me to do?"

"Well…"

To be continued…

Next Chapter: A Different Angle


	5. A Different Angle

Host

Summary: Sofia was under the impression that things were getting back to normal, but that couldn't be further from the truth. What begins as a normal outing with her partner and tiny Strawbaby quickly and drastically changes gears when she becomes the unwitting host for a determined and restless spirit. (Collab with MarionetteJ2X)

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Nana and Tanya belong to MarionetteJ2X.

A/N: Okie dokie! Time for Tanya to meet Cedric and Nana. In a rather interesting way, I might add! 😉

* * *

Chapter 5: A Different Angle

* * *

In the waking world, Sofia's family stopped by her room once their late supper was finished, just to check on her recovery. Nana was sleeping next to her guardian, and Cedric had left not too long ago to collect some healing tonics from his tower.

While the sorcerer was out of the room (and after ushering the other guys out for a while), Miranda and Violet had taken the opportunity to change Sofia's regular outfit into a knee-length lavender nightgown. Amber then braided her long auburn locks to make her more comfortable.

When they were finished changing Sofia's clothing, the others were allowed back inside, including Cedric, who had just arrived from his tower with a basketful of tonics to try.

Not long after, Dr. Clarke arrived to check on the princess's progress. "Her fever has gone down a bit," he informed them as the others listened, "but she'll need more rest to fully recover. She will be all right, I assure you." He smiled at the others in his calm manner. "It just takes a little time."

"Thank you, Dr. Clarke," Miranda said, shaking his hand. "We appreciate it."

"So, rest is what she needs," Roland began as the doctor left, "so I guess we need to let her have it."

"If it's all right with you, King Roland, could I stay for a while, just to keep an eye on her?" Cedric asked.

Roland observed the sorcerer, taking in his clearly worried features, before smiling and nodding, clasping his hand gently over his friend's shoulder. "Of course, Cedric. Perhaps _you_ can find something that will help her faster and more efficiently than this whole 'modern medicine' thing, hmm?" Seeing his friend nod, he hummed before lowering his hand. "Get some rest eventually though. I don't want you overdoing it."

"Yes, sire." He smiled as Amber walked over to him, gently hugging him, before turning and leaving with the others. He sighed and looked back toward the bed, where he saw Nana now sitting up and rubbing at her eyes. He scooped her into his arms and cradled her, kissing the crown of her head. "We'll figure out what's going on with Sofia, Nana… We will."

* * *

A few hours later, it was nearing midnight. Cedric had placed Nana on Sofia's window seat, covering her with his robe so she could sleep more soundly. Meanwhile, he now stood next to Sofia, watching her calmly sleeping form. He reached down and felt her forehead with the back of his fingers. "Still warm," he mumbled to himself, though he noticed that it wasn't as serious as it had been earlier. She seemed much calmer and less restless.

He sighed tiredly as he retracted his hand, feeling so helpless since he didn't even know what was wrong with her. It had just happened so suddenly… The fact that neither his nor Nana's magic could heal her, or even be _near_ her without getting shocked, made him very concerned for his best friend's wellbeing. Whatever had counteracted their magic with Sofia's, it must also be the reason for her feverish state. "I have to do something, and fast."

He'd been about to move when he heard Sofia moan softly, stirring from her slumber. He was startled, to say the least, because she'd been still and silent for so many hours. "Sofia?" Before he could reach out to her, he noticed a black and purple aura emanating from her, which caused him to yelp and step back from the bed. His eyes widened when Sofia's form slowly sat up. "Sofia?" He noticed that his call to her hadn't seemed to resonate with her, because she hadn't budged, and that _really _worried him.

Sofia hadn't acknowledged Cedric at all. The black and purple aura began to engulf her body, covering her head to toe in nothing but radiating darkness.

Cedric gasped as he felt a tug on his pants leg. Glancing down he noticed Nana standing there, looking between both him and her other guardian in worry. He quickly scooped her into his arms and stepped back a bit more as the aura surrounding the princess slowly dissipated. His eyes widened considerably when he saw his partner.

Her long auburn hair was now streaked with two white strips, both woven through her braid. There were also strange purple markings spreading up her neck and face. Last but not least, Sofia's eyes finally opened as she turned to look at the other two in the room, and he froze in fright, along with Nana. Sofia's usual gentle blue eyes were now replaced with serious purple irises and a dark outline, which appeared to be giving off an eerie glow. She released a chilled exhale through her mouth.

Cedric had no idea how to react as 'Sofia' slowly slid off her bed, walking toward the sorcerer and strawberry child. He continued stepping backwards until his back hit the wall of her room. His pulse had quickened, and his entire thought process had all but vanished as the princess finally ceased walking, stopping just a few feet from him and the child. He hugged Nana protectively as 'Sofia' tilted her head up toward him, staring him down. He closed his eyes tightly and waited for the inevitable doom (or so he assumed) when he heard an unfamiliar voice speak.

"Are you Cedric the Great?"

He slowly opened his eyes to see his partner's head tilted to the side, her gaze focused on him curiously. He blinked at the question, though he was utterly confused. He nodded.

'Sofia' smiled softly as she stepped back from the two of them, curtsying to them both. "I know that you have many questions, but I assure you that everything will be all right." 'Sofia' walked back to the bed, sitting on it, and gesturing for the sorcerer to do the same.

Cedric, speechless from hearing such a strange voice coming from his partner, just nodded and walked back to the bed, sitting down and facing the princess's form with his charge nestled in his lap.

"My name is Tanya," she began gently, utterly surprising him. "And I suppose I should start at the beginning…" That she did, explaining the entire situation yet again, including how she now possessed Sofia's body so that she could accomplish her goal of revenge.

Cedric was so torn now between helping Tanya and getting his partner back. "I…understand your situation, to a degree, Tanya," he started, frowning thoughtfully, "but…I'm worried. What if your quest means Sofia getting hurt? I could never forgive myself if something happened to her…" He then tried to shake off those negative thoughts. He wouldn't _allow _anything to happen to Sofia…or Tanya, for that matter. If Sofia could trust Tanya, a Never Realm creation and quite possibly the most dangerous creature to ever exist, then so could he.

"I assure you, Cedric the Great, that I will do everything within my power to protect your princess."

"Cedric," he corrected, "just Cedric."

She nodded. "Cedric it is."

He then cleared his throat. "Is… Is Sofia all right?"

Tanya smiled. "She is fine." She blinked as she noticed Nana staring at her curiously. She also stared back at the little one, as if analyzing her.

Cedric was becoming a bit unsettled as the girls continued their staring match. It was so strange. He cleared his throat, getting their attention as they both looked toward him.

Tanya blinked a few times before pointing toward Nana. "I apologize, but I felt some sort of…unknown connection to your precious angel child."

He was a bit taken aback by her admission, but he chuckled at her words. "Actually, perhaps I should tell you a bit about Nana." He delved into the background of his little girl, from her origins to how he and Sofia found her and adopted her into the family; he told her of the girl's healing powers and former dark marks she'd possessed. He told her everything he could think of to help her better understand the possible connection she felt to Nana.

"I see," Tanya murmured as she smiled down at Nana. "I suppose we are like sisters, in a way…"

Nana smiled at the idea. A sister? She'd never had a sister before…

Cedric just nodded before looking toward the window, noticing how high the moon was in the sky. "It's rather late, and I think it's best that we all get some sleep now."

"I tend to agree," Tanya admitted, yawning. "As a spirit, I can stay awake and active for long periods of time, but since I am in a human body now, I just feel…really tired." She yawned again, smiling as she noticed Nana echoing her actions. "You too, little one?"

Cedric chuckled and rolled his eyes good-naturedly. "We will continue our conversation in the morning. It's time you two get some rest." He pulled the covers on Sofia's bed back, watching as Tanya sank under them, little Nana crawling next to her and snuggling next to her. Seeing the confusion on Tanya's face, Cedric explained, "She knows you're not Sofia, but it probably makes her feel better to be near her guardian's body in a way. Or maybe she wanted to comfort _both _of you…"

She smiled gently, caressing the little girl's hair. "So sweet, this little angel."

"You have no idea." He tucked them in and, to his amusement, both were asleep rather quickly. He kissed Nana's forehead, but he had to refrain from doing so with Tanya, given the situation. This might have been Sofia's body, but it definitely wasn't _Sofia_ right now. That would be a little awkward and embarrassing for both of them. Therefore, he gently patted her head and smiled. "Good night, you two. Sleep well." With that, he turned and left the room and headed back to his tower, as the moon continued glowing gently in the darkened skies above.

To be continued…

Next Chapter: Conflict of Interests


	6. Conflict of Interests

Host

Summary: Sofia was under the impression that things were getting back to normal, but that couldn't be further from the truth. What begins as a normal outing with her partner and tiny Strawbaby quickly and drastically changes gears when she becomes the unwitting host for a determined and restless spirit. (Collab with MarionetteJ2X)

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Nana and Tanya belong to MarionetteJ2X.

A/N: Something necessary will happen in this chapter, which some of you may have already anticipated. If not, trust me, it'll make sense here. 😊

* * *

Chapter 6: Conflict of Interests

* * *

Cedric hadn't even made it to his bed the previous night. In fact, he'd fallen asleep on a spare cot that he or Sofia sometimes used while working late. He was startled, then, to hear a loud banging on his workshop door. Because it sounded urgent, he tossed the covers off of himself, slipped into his robe (which he'd remembered to retrieve from Sofia's room before leaving), and hurried to the door.

Pulling the door open, he blinked in surprise to find a very exhausted Violet there, her hair completely disheveled and falling from its braid, and her thin form panting heavily. Clearly, she wasn't used to climbing up his tower stairs since becoming the royal stewardess. Usually, she didn't have a need to… "Violet, are you all right?" He thought of a hundred scenarios all at once: the castle could be under attack, the entire kingdom was under siege, Cordelia had started a fire from her terrible cooking… The possibilities were endless.

"I'm afraid not, sir." She looked toward him with terrified eyes. "It's Princess Sofia."

Hearing his friend's name, Cedric frowned. "What happened?"

"We believe she might have been possessed by some evil spirit. Her appearance has altered quite a bit, and she won't let go of Nana."

"Oh, no…" His color drained from his face as he recalled the previous night, and he quickly rushed down the steps, leaving poor Violet behind as she collected herself and caught her breath.

* * *

When he finally arrived at the floor where Sofia's room was, he was astonished to see so many guards just outside her bedroom. 'Now, where are they when there's an _actual_ attack or problem?' he thought bitterly to himself before hurrying over to them. He squeezed between the other men, pushing toward Sofia's bedroom, before finally entering and noticing the royal family standing aside, terrified expressions on their faces. He glanced toward Sofia's bed and gasped with widened eyes.

Tanya sat on the farthest corner of Sofia's bed, holding a surprised Nana protectively in one arm while her other arm and hand were now coated in a demonic-looking gauntlet, aimed outward toward the crowd. She seemed to be in a defensive stance, so any approach to her would require both calmness and caution.

Roland noticed Cedric's presence and quickly hurried to him, gesturing toward his daughter's altered form. "Cedric, I thought you were going to watch her last night! What happened to Sofia? Why is she like _that_?"

"Calm down, King Roland," he began gently, causing Roland to blink at him. "I assure you that everything is all right."

"_All right_?" The king pointed toward the gauntlet on Tanya's arm. "Look at that thing on her arm, Cedric! And her hair! And her _eyes_!"

"She means no harm, despite what you see." Everyone around him seemed to stare at him as if he'd grown a second head. Ignoring them, he slowly approached Tanya, who lowered her gauntlet and altered her stance as he neared her. "Calm down, Tanya. No one is going to harm you."

"Who's Tanya?" James asked the others, who shrugged.

The room grew quiet as 'Sofia' began speaking while Cedric sat next to her and her gauntlet disappeared. "I apologize for the rash response," she began calmly, "but they tried to capture me and take the precious angel child away from me. I thought they were going to harm us, so I had to do something to defend myself but also not harm Nana, as well as everyone else here. It is the only thing I could think of at the time…"

Cedric nodded before asking, "Would it be possible for Sofia to take over for a while, just to assure her clearly anxious and frightened family and friends that she is all right?"

Pausing at his request, Tanya nodded silently, releasing Nana to allow her to crawl into Cedric's lap. She closed her black and purple eyes, concentrating her magic and releasing a chilled breath before slowly opening her eyes again.

Although the whites of her eyes were now black, there was no mistaking the familiar blue irises and calm demeanor. Sofia was back in control. She gasped softly as she felt arms surrounding her, with both Nana and Cedric hugging her. "Cedric… Nana…"

"I'm glad to hear your voice again," he whispered softly to her so only she could hear, causing her to smile and blush shyly. "Are you all right?"

She nodded as Nana nuzzled her head in her guardian's neck, happy that the princess was back…sort of. Sofia kissed Nana's cheek before handing her back to Cedric, and she then stood up, facing the others, smiling sheepishly as her family hesitantly approached her. "I think I should explain…"

"You _think_?" Amber quipped, folding her arms.

She offered them the full story, from the encounter with Tanya and the spirit's quest, to the meeting she had with Cedric last night (apparently, although Tanya had been in control, Sofia was still very much aware of what was going on), to just a few moments ago. Everyone seemed disconcerted and had many questions they wanted to ask, but they ultimately decided to trust Sofia's judgment and let her make her own decisions, although her method for helping the wandering spirit was clearly unusual.

After a while, Roland dismissed the guards and workers, along with his family and friends as well. He held out his arms, smiling as Sofia hugged him. He sighed as he told her, "I have faith in you, Sofia. You've been through worse than this. I only want you to be safe."

She smiled up at him. "I will be, Dad. I promise." She watched as he left the room, the rest of her family and friends leaving after offering her some much-needed words of support. Once they were gone, she sighed and turned back to Cedric and Nana, who were both sitting on her bed and waiting to see what she would do next.

Without much warning, she climbed onto her bed and nearly tackled Cedric in a hug, knocking him over against the pillows. She laughed as he sputtered a bit, brushing some of her loosened hair away from his face and back behind her ears instead. "Sorry."

"Don't be," he insisted, hugging her to him and smiling as Nana hurried over, squeezing between them to be part of their little 'family hug.' "I'm just glad to know you're all right."

"I'm fine, Cedric." She knew that aside from her family, Cedric and Nana would definitely worry the most about her. Although they'd not been able to communicate with her the last day, at least she knew that Tanya had left a good impression on them so far; hopefully, everything would be back to normal soon enough, once the mission was completed. "While Tanya was in control, I was able to communicate with her, telling her that she can take over if danger arises that either you or I can't handle." She sat back, tugging her nightgown down a bit as Nana crawled over to sit in her lap. "I can sense the overwhelming power she possesses, Cedric… For now, though, I'm back in control."

"But she's still with you, isn't she?" he asked, noting that she still had those dark eyes, the white stripes of hair, and the purple lines throughout her body.

"Yeah… She will be until we complete her mission. Speaking of which…" She reached behind her, unclasping her amulet. Noticing Cedric's confused expression, she explained, "The pure magic in my amulet was fighting against Tanya's dark powers, and she's not able to use them at all. Even if her powers are used for good, she still possesses strong dark magic, and the Light Magic in my amulet was working extra hard to suppress her powers. So… For the meantime…" She placed Nana on the bed before moving in front of her partner, reaching out and clasping the precious amulet around his neck. "I want you to guard it for me, at least until we are able to complete this mission."

Cedric was somewhat taken aback, though he understood her reasoning behind her actions. He looked down at the amulet and caressed it gently, reminiscing his past when he was still focused on trying to steal the object. He'd grown a _lot _over the years, and it was clear that the princess and his charge had the most to do with that. If he'd continued down that dark and destructive path, he wouldn't be there right now, with the most important people in his life. He smiled back at Sofia. "I'll take care of it, Sofia. I promise you."

She smiled and hugged him again, giggling as Nana jumped in to be a part of the embrace.

What none of them noticed, though, was that the Amulet of Avalor had sparkled before dimming again, as if responding to Cedric's promise to the princess.

To be continued…

Next Chapter: Course of Action


	7. Course of Action

Host

Summary: Sofia was under the impression that things were getting back to normal, but that couldn't be further from the truth. What begins as a normal outing with her partner and tiny Strawbaby quickly and drastically changes gears when she becomes the unwitting host for a determined and restless spirit. (Collab with MarionetteJ2X)

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Nana and Tanya belong to MarionetteJ2X.

A/N: Okay! You'll get a bit of both Sofia _and _Tanya in here, along with a new problem that our heroes will have to face. This chapter will be a bit long, so make sure to pop you some popcorn, or get you some cookies, or whatever you need to do. 😉 Also, you will see a new (and possibly scary) side of Tanya here, but…again, it's necessary. :D

* * *

Chapter 7: Course of Action

* * *

Not long after their reunion, the trio decided to continue the rest of the day as though nothing had happened. After all, a little bit of normalcy could be just what they needed. Sofia got dressed in her usual clothing, and the other two did the same, before heading to the workshop.

"Sit here, Nana," Sofia told her charge as she placed her on the cot where Cedric had previously been sleeping. "We're going to work on a curing agent for a while, okay?" Seeing the little girl nod, she smiled before turning back toward Cedric, who stopped her. She blinked as he reached up, tracing his fingers down one of the white streaks in her hair. She smiled gently, placing one hand on his arm. "It's me, I promise."

"I know… But…" He smiled sheepishly as she blinked at him. "Would you like me to fix your hair?"

"I don't think that's how it works, Cedric," she laughed. "Since Tanya and I are occupying the same body, I—"

"I meant…re-braid it." He shrugged as she frowned in confusion. "Tanya's reaction earlier seems to have left you a bit…disheveled."

She giggled a bit before nodding. "Sure. One request though."

"What's that?"

She grabbed his wand out of his hand, setting it aside to the table. "No magic."

He rolled his eyes as she sat down on the stool and waited for him. "No problem. You forget, my dear, that I am a hair braiding master."

The princess laughed as she felt him untie the ribbon and unweave her hair. "Did you ever put that on your résumé? We joked about it a lot, but I'm actually curious about that." She accepted the ribbon as he handed it to her.

"No need," he remarked as he ran his fingers through her hair, sifting through the waves before separating them into three parts. "One, I don't plan on going anywhere, and two…" He smiled as he began weaving her hair into a braid. "You're one of the very few people I'll actually do this for… So, I'm afraid you're stuck with me, my dear."

She smiled thoughtfully and relaxed a bit as she felt his fingers caressing her back as he continued braiding. "Good to know…"

Nana watched her guardians and yawned, plopping back against Cedric's pillow. They were sweet together, for sure, but they were so weird sometimes. Still, she loved watching them. She never knew what they were going to do. She smiled before yawning again and snuggling under her guardian's blankets, falling asleep.

"I think we've lost our little helper," Cedric chuckled as he tied off Sofia's braid with the ribbon that she'd passed to him, smoothing out a few wispy tendrils around her head.

Sofia laughed. "I'm not surprised. She's probably exhausted." She felt the completed braid and nodded happily. "Perfect, as usual."

He rolled his eyes playfully. "You say that as though I do it often."

"You do… Now, last week—twice I recall, August 2nd… I remember because I had to get some gifts that day for Amber's upcoming baby shower, and—"

"Never mind," he laughed. "Point taken." He gestured toward the worktable before grabbing his wand, securing it into his robe. "In any case, we need to get to work, if you're up to it."

She grinned. "Let's do it."

* * *

They set to work on creating the curing agent needed for rashes that had been appearing on the children's skin in Dunwiddie. It was possibly some sort of allergic reaction to some magical pollen that had been swept by the wind, though no one was entirely sure. Still, any help would be better than nothing.

While they worked, Nana continued sleeping, seeming to be enjoying her rest.

Cedric was busy pouring some of the brew into several jars while Sofia was now penning out some notes and drawing a map on some parchment. She was aiming to determine the location of the dark cult, with the help of Tanya in her subconscious. However, she suddenly froze, murmuring softly.

Cedric, who'd paused from his pouring, was about to ask her what was wrong when she suddenly released a chilled breath. Her clothing also changed back to the turtleneck, skirt, and scarf. He knew what that meant. When she looked toward him again, he saw that her eyes were back to black and purple: Tanya was here.

She instantly put a finger to her lips, hushing the sorcerer. "I sense danger," she whispered, "nearing the castle."

His eyes widened as he watched Tanya's arms suddenly beginning to glow. When the light died down, two gauntlets now resided on her arms and hands. They almost appeared to have the same properties of a sword, and the structure extended up to her upper arms, looking almost like a second skin. Both hand pieces possessed a red glowing orb, pulsating like it had a mind of its own.

Tanya turned and jumped high to the second floor of the tower where the window was. She quickly opened it and jumped out, as if it were a completely logical and natural thing to do.

"Tanya!" Cedric yelped, panicking and rushing up to the window. He leaned out and looked down, then he glanced all around but couldn't find her. He was startled when he heard a large explosion, which caused the floor to shake a bit. Glancing up, he saw smoke coming from an area very near the castle.

He quickly hurried down the stairs again, noticing that Nana was sitting up on the cot, wide awake. "Nana." He picked her up, realizing the loud sound must have woken her up, and bolted quickly from the tower.

Once he arrived in the main hallways and headed outside, he noticed that everyone appeared to have evacuated. The royal family, the staff, Cordelia, Calista, Angel, Nigel, and Baileywick… They were all outside, surrounded by the guards, who were protecting them. When he made it over to them, they looked relieved that he and Nana were all right.

"Sofia is out there, with some scary-looking things on her arms, fighting with some stranger," James informed him. "We tried to call to her, but she didn't seem to hear us."

"Or she did and she was ignoring us," Miranda added, holding Corban closely.

"It's dark, Uncle Ceddy," Calista told him, frowning as he glanced down toward her. "Whatever it is, it's bad."

"I know, Calista…" He passed Nana over to Cordelia, who held her gently. "I'm going to get her." He hurried away from them and from the protection, disregarding them as they called out to him. He couldn't stop now. He had to help Sofia…and Tanya.

* * *

Cedric panted as he crossed the bridge spanning across the water and hurried up a few hills. He stopped in his tracks as he saw the once beautiful grass fields now practically in ruins, even in mere minutes. He glanced toward a person's silhouette, who seemed to be standing near another person. When the smoke cleared, he instantly recognized Tanya, who had a sword raised to the throat of what appeared to be an enemy.

He was shocked to see a man with pale skin (so pale that he probably hadn't seen the sun in many years). His black hair was matted and sticking to his face. But the most surprising feature was the ugly cult mark on his forehead.

"Why are you here?" Tanya demanded firmly, startling Cedric out of his thoughts.

The man before her appeared surprised to hear the woman's voice coming from the body of the princess, especially since he clearly recognized it, but he just offered her a chilling grin and began cackling.

Tanya clearly wasn't amused by his reaction and pressed her blade closer to his neck, the pressure causing him to stop. "Maybe you did not hear me… WHY ARE YOU HERE?"

The man ignored the question. "How unfortunate that you've become _this _rather than the grand masterpiece you _should _have been. Victor spoiled you, Tanya. He poured over you with _love _and _happiness_, making you weak. _He _was weak! Falling in love with his own experiment? He was a traitor! A useless, careless, spineless traitor!"

Tanya hadn't said a word during the man's rant, which seriously unnerved Cedric, for some reason. His eyes widened as he watched the other man stop speaking, and he suddenly began clawing at his neck and gasping. It was then that the sorcerer realized that Tanya had raised one of her glowing hands, the orb on her gauntlet pulsing as the cult member struggled to breathe. "She's choking him…"

He couldn't even react as the cult member suddenly began glowing, and not long after, his screams of pain dissolved into nothingness as his whole body was reduced to nothing but ashes, which Tanya's gauntlet absorbed. The gauntlet pulsated a bit more before lying dormant once again.

The long stretch of silence was broken as Cedric suddenly gasped and breathed heavily, forgetting that he'd been holding his breath throughout the entire ordeal. While he'd known that Tanya was very powerful based on what both she and Sofia had told him, he'd seen it up close, and it was astonishing, if not frightening. He was honestly grateful that her deceased master and love had given her a good heart, because he could just imagine what could have already happened to _him _had she not experienced the lighter side of things.

"Are you all right, Cedric?"

He jumped at her voice, nodding stiffly as Tanya used the magic on her gauntlet to restore the field and its surroundings after the events. Once she'd finished, she calmly walked over to the sorcerer, almost as if nothing had happened.

"W-What happened to…erm…?"

She noticed how distraught he was. He'd clearly never seen her _that_ angry, and surely, the fact that it had been his partner's body when she'd incinerated the cult member had really negatively affected him. Her eyes bore into his, sensing his fear, and she nodded in understanding. Her gauntlets disappeared as she gently took his hand and patted it, calming him down. "He's gone," she informed him simply. "However, what you saw earlier was something the Deathbringer, or my gauntlets, are able to do: they can absorb knowledge. It extracted information from him and helped me understand what his mission had been…"

Cedric frowned at her words. He had a feeling that whatever she was going to say next, he wasn't going to like it. "And…what was that?"

Tanya was about to respond, but she felt an internal struggle, hearing Sofia's voice echoing in her mind. "Princess Sofia wants us both to check on Nana as soon as possible…" She had no doubt that the other girl had absorbed some information too, especially after what she'd understood.

He nodded but wasn't able to say a thing as Tanya scooped him into her arms and hurried away with an inhuman speed. 'Well, _that's _new!' he thought frantically as he clung to her for dear life.

In only a matter of seconds, both Cedric and Tanya were back at the castle, much to the others' shock. They stared in awe as Tanya gently settled a shaking Cedric on the ground, watching as he immediately sighed in relief.

"That's…going to take some getting used to," he muttered, panting as Cordelia patted his back.

"What happened out there?" Amber wondered as she held Desmond's hand while keeping her free one on her stomach, soothing her unborn child.

"Was it an enemy?" Nigel wondered.

"Clearly," Baileywick added, shaking his head. "But who?"

Tanya, growing a bit shy from all the attention that the others were offering not only Cedric but also her, sighed. "Allow me to explain…" And she did: from the beginning when she sensed something in the tower and switched out with Sofia, to just mere moments ago.

Cedric shakily turned toward Cordelia, reaching for Nana, who happily clung to his neck, her tiny arms holding him as much as they could. "Oh, my love…"

"It is not over," Tanya prophesized with a grim expression, her purple eyes glowing as she watched the others. She appeared to be a bit on edge, with obvious concern etched into her features. "When I absorbed the information from the cult member, I was able to see a plan…" She frowned. "The Vilisators, members of my original cult, are planning an assault on this kingdom, and they want to try to take the one who defeated the entire Never Realm." She glanced worriedly toward Cedric, who noticed and glanced down at the shaking girl in his arms. "They are after your little angel child, Cedric…"

"Not Nana!" Calista gasped. "She's never hurt anyone! In fact, just the opposite: she _helps _them!"

"Is there a way to stop this cult, Ms. Tanya?" Angel asked calmly, though he was every bit as worried as anyone else. He'd grown to care as much for Nana as anyone else in the castle.

"I…" She couldn't respond any further as Roland spoke up, turning to the guards.

"Spread out, all over Enchancia, and search for any signs of danger."

"I know where they are," Tanya insisted, her hands folding into fists as the others looked back toward her once again. "It is my responsibility to finish off what the Never Realm left behind, and that is the Vilisators. If I do so, no harm will come to Nana."

"Then I'm going with you," Cedric claimed, stepping toward her.

"Are you sure that is wise, Cedric?" She narrowed her eyes at him before nodding toward Nana. "You should really think of your little one first. Nana is in danger, and you should be by her side at all times. The cult members are cunning and underhanded; they could get into the castle without anyone even knowing, and they might take her away. Surely, you do not want that."

He shook his head. "No, I don't. But I won't have _you _rushing into danger either—not alone, at least." He sighed. "I need to be there for both of you as well: you _and _Sofia. I would never forgive myself if anything happened to either of you."

Tanya froze and closed her eyes, and when she blinked them open, the familiar blue had returned.

Sofia smiled and ran toward Cedric and Nana, hugging them both as tightly as she could. She looked up at her partner, placing a gentle hand on his cheek. "I'll be okay, Cedric…"

He closed his eyes, placing his hand over hers. He was clearly torn between protecting Sofia and Nana. He gasped and his eyes flew open as he heard a loud cawing above them, a black raven swooping down and perching on the sorcerer's shoulder, the green necklace situated around his neck glistening under the sun. "Wormwood? Where have you been?"

"Never mind that," the bird quipped, frowning at the gathered crowd. "What did I miss? And why does Princess Sofia look like some demoness from the underworld?"

Cedric yelped and quickly snapped his familiar's beak shut, sighing heavily.

Cordelia walked over to the partners. "I don't mind watching Nana again if you two need to go on this quest to settle things once and for all." She nodded toward Angel and Calista. "They can help me."

"We all will," Baileywick added sincerely, smiling kindly toward a startled Cedric. "She's family, after all."

"Wormwood will help too," Cordelia insisted, practically volunteering the bird without his permission.

"I suppose _I_ don't get a say in this," he complained as he flitted over to the sorceress's shoulder, settling there instead. "I just wish I knew what was going on…"

Cedric sighed and smiled toward his sister. "Thanks, Cordelia." He turned to the others. "Thank you all. I realize how unfortunate and desolate this situation seems to be."

"Just come back safely," Miranda requested. "That's all we ask."

He nodded as Sofia stepped up next to him, both of them hugging Nana gently and kissing her cheek before passing her over to the awaiting sorceress's arms. Cedric looked toward Wormwood. "Stay with Nana, and do _not _let her out of your sight."

"I'll explain everything inside, Wormwood," Cordelia promised, causing the raven to sigh dramatically.

"Very well," he mumbled, frowning as he switched over to Calista's shoulder instead. "You volunteer at the Raven Haven too much, and you miss all the real excitement. Maybe I should stop doing good deeds."

"I wouldn't call lounging around while Nina does all the work 'good deeds,' but whatever." Cedric rolled his eyes.

Wormwood scoffed.

The partners looked at their family and friends, and especially at their charge, whose lip was trembling a bit as she watched them. They then turned toward each other determinedly.

"I'll follow your lead," Cedric told Sofia, who smiled.

"And I'll follow Tanya's." She closed her eyes once before opening them again, the color now back to black and purple.

"We need to travel on foot and not use this 'AutoCoach' the princess informed me of," Tanya suggested. "The cult is only able to hide in dark places, and we will need to search each one."

"Very well then." He looked back toward the others. "Take care of each other, and especially Nana. We will be back soon enough."

"Be careful, Cedric," Roland insisted. "And you take care of Sofia _and _Tanya."

Tanya seemed startled that she'd been included in the request, but she smiled softly in response.

"I will, King Roland." He turned and beckoned Tanya away, and together they hurried away from the castle to the edge of Dunwiddie, and eventually to the forests beyond the edge of the kingdom.

To be continued…

Next Chapter: Split Screen


	8. Split Screen

Host

Summary: Sofia was under the impression that things were getting back to normal, but that couldn't be further from the truth. What begins as a normal outing with her partner and tiny Strawbaby quickly and drastically changes gears when she becomes the unwitting host for a determined and restless spirit. (Collab with MarionetteJ2X)

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Nana and Tanya belong to MarionetteJ2X.

A/N: All righty! Time for some deep conversation between Cedric and Tanya, which is much needed (trust me). We'll also get to see some sweet moments with Cedric and Sofia again, of course. By the way, guys, I AM getting your reviews via email. I'm not sure what the glitch is this time, but for some reason NO ONE'S reviews are showing up on the site yet. I'm sure they'll get it sorted out eventually. In the meantime, I'm going to just keep writing. 😉 Glad to see everyone seems to be enjoying it so far. :D

PS: Royal Detective, Wormwood got his new necklace (or rather, Woodrow's necklace) from the recent story with Magdalena in it—On the Contrary. Hope that helps! Also, Mr. Shortman92, I'm sure there were a few mistakes I overlooked in the last chapter, but the email for the review got truncated so I have no idea what they were. Lol! If there weren't any, I'm treating myself to an Oreo Blizzard from Dairy Queen tomorrow after school. :D If there were some, well… *shrug* I'm still getting an Oreo Blizzard, 'cause I want one now. Hahaha!

* * *

Chapter 8: Split Screen

* * *

The pair walked for many hours, heading farther away from Enchancia and deeper into the forest. At one point, Cedric had to stop to catch his breath, requesting of Tanya that they take a break.

"Very well," she told him as she sat next to him on the grassy earth near a clump of trees. She didn't understand human exhaustion very well, even being in Sofia's body (which was quite limited compared to her previous form), but she supposed she could empathize with feeling weak. After all, that's very much how she felt when she wasn't able to stop the cult members from killing her beloved master. While Cedric was resting, Tanya kept her gaze firmly glued to the forest, searching for any possible signs of malice.

The silence that fell over them was so awkward and distant. They weren't used to each other like Cedric was used to Sofia and Tanya was used to Victor. While they seemed to have some mutual respect for one another, this was just…uncomfortable, right now. Neither seemed to know how to broach any topic, nor did either appear to suggest that such a thing would occur. Until…

A deep sigh escaped Cedric's lips before he could stop himself, which he noticed appeared to catch Tanya off guard. He smiled sheepishly at the woman. "Sorry."

She shook her head, grateful for the break in the silence. "It is all right. Is something wrong?"

He shrugged before telling her in a reassuring tone, "It's nothing, really. I'm just a bit tired…and worried, I suppose."

Tanya nodded, folding her arms. "I apologize if I am not good company. I could just let the princess take over if you would be happier with her."

"N-No, it's not that, Tanya," Cedric insisted, waving his hands a bit to settle her concerns. "I just…don't really know how to…start a conversation with you, I suppose." He smiled uncertainly as she raised her eyebrows at him. "I know it sounds silly, but…"

She laughed, feeling a bit of tension leaving her. "It is fine. I am sorry for my aloof demeanor, as it were. Ever since I was 'born' into this world, the only person with whom I was able to hold a decent conversation was my former master."

He hummed thoughtfully, tilting his head a bit, clearly intrigued by the story. "What was your master like?" He knew he must have asked something meaningful to her, because he noticed her glance up at him, her eyes shining in awe. He was startled, then, when she did something totally unexpected: she moved over to sit directly next to him.

Tanya hugged her legs as she reminisced the time spent with her master, her voice sounding lighter and calmer as she did. "He was so caring," she insisted, smiling as Cedric nodded and leaned forward, focused on her story. "Even though he was 'tainted' by dark magic, he was very much a light-hearted man. He would often sneak me out of the cult's hideout, and we would explore everything that a few other realms had to offer, though none could compare to this one." She sighed as she recalled the past. "He always spoke of the Ever Realm's beauty, and he had every right to: from the beautiful blue skies, to the refreshing green forests and grasslands, to the sweet scent of flowers whenever the wind swept by, and to the animals that would often greet us… It is _so _different compared with the Vilisators' hideout, obviously. And Victor, my master, would always give me things he thought I would like when he traveled between realms: a five-leaf clover, even rarer than the four-leaf; a flower that looked like a tiara… And he would always pick violet blooms, because he told me that they…matched my eyes."

Cedric smiled gently as he saw her expression softening into an almost dreamy one. "He sounds like a good person…"

She nodded once. "He was… And another thing… Sometimes late at night, we would lie down next to each other under the blanket of stars—yes, even the Never Realm had stars—and we would make promises." She smiled sadly. "He would always tell me that if anything bad ever happened to him, no matter what, when, how, or why…He would _always _be with me and protect me in any way he could." She paused momentarily, taking in a deep breath so that she could calm her aching heart and prevent herself from tearing up.

The sorcerer listened attentively to her words, his heart feeling compassionate for her. Despite all the setbacks in his own life, he'd at least known love, kindness, and freedom. And yet Tanya had been _taught_ all of those things by a very special person near and dear to her heart, only for him to be ripped away from her, leaving her with nothing. Not only that, but she was also used as a weapon of mass destruction. What an incredibly lonely, devastating life to live…

Cedric knew he never would have been able to handle what she'd been through if he'd been in her position. Wanting to comfort her somehow, he hesitantly reached out, about to put a hand on her shoulder, when the sound of thunder startled both of them. He retracted his hand, folding his arms instead. He glanced up, surprised to see just how dark the sky was getting, with the storm clouds now looming over them.

Tanya took that opportunity to stand up before looking back at her current traveling companion. "We need to find some shelter before the rain comes."

He could only nod silently as she turned and began speed walking away from him, distancing herself from him as she began seeking out caves that they could occupy for a while. Cedric sighed softly before following the girl even deeper into the forest.

* * *

It took several more minutes, but they finally located some shelter just as the rain began pouring heavily to the ground. They had just managed to settle into a cave, Cedric conjuring some kindling as Tanya used her powers to light it.

They sat silently around the fire, neither knowing what to say, especially after the previous conversation that had taken a very emotional turn. For a while, they only heard the sound of the storm outside, until a small grumble echoed off the cave walls.

Cedric lifted his eyebrows in surprise as he glanced toward Tanya, who appeared to be holding her stomach in confusion.

Tanya looked toward him in mild panic. "Does the princess's body have any ailment that I am unaware of? Her stomach continues to growl and make strange noises, and I cannot make it stop."

He chuckled lightheartedly at Tanya's obliviousness, not to mention the innocence of her words (ironic, especially considering her origins). She was unused to the human need for food, especially since when she did still have her own body, food was merely optional. She never did go hungry due to her upbringing, because her master had always taken care of everything for her. But after becoming a wandering soul, possessing a mortal body was an entirely different story. Cedric silently waved his wand and conjured a dinner of warm vegetable soup and bread for both of them: something warm, filling, and comforting to counteract the cold rainy evening. He passed the food to the confused Tanya, nodding toward her meal. "You're hungry," he explained. "Now that you're occupying a mortal body, it's essential for her to eat something so the 'growling' in her stomach stops."

She blushed in embarrassment, having forgotten this small detail. "Oh… Right." She gingerly accepted the plate of food and scooped a healthy portion of seasoned vegetables and broth into the spoon, cautiously blowing the steam away before eating the small bite. Her eyes widened in surprise and awe before she quickly began devouring the rest of her food, anxious to try more of it and settle the aching hunger she'd felt.

Cedric chuckled at her reaction before smiling and beginning to eat his own food (though at a much slower pace). He even conjured some fly cakes, which Tanya quickly took a liking to. '_Everyone_ loves fly cakes,' he thought to himself with a smile.

The food was soon gone, and once again they sat in silence, though it wasn't nearly as tense anymore. This was more of a contented silence.

After a few more minutes, Tanya finally spoke up again. "You are a very caring person, Cedric the Great."

He blinked, astonished by her admission, as he turned toward her. He noticed that she was drawing something on the ground with a stick she'd found.

"You possess nearly the same aura as my master."

Cedric's eyes widened a bit. "Really?"

She smiled gently toward him. "Yes… Even though his aura was somewhat enshrouded by darkness, there was always that small persistent light breaking through the hard and cold exterior of the heart. I sense that you, like Victor, also made some bad choices in life, but those did not and still do not define the humanity deep within." She tossed the stick into the fire, watching it begin to catch aflame. "I believe the ones who do not give up on trying to become better versions of themselves are far more human than those who keep facing others with a mask that hides that ugliness from everyone else."

He wasn't sure what to say to that. He'd opened his mouth to respond at first but soon closed it, realizing he didn't have anything he _could_ say yet. He hadn't expected Tanya to read him like a book, even though they'd only just met the day before. Perhaps because of Sofia's help, she could see deeper inside his heart? Or maybe she was just that perceptive…

The rain poured down harder as another hour passed.

Cedric finally stood to his feet soon enough, taking Tanya by mild surprise, since she'd grown accustomed to the silence. "I'm going to conjure us some form of 'beds' for the night," he told her, turning away from her and using his wand to create two beds of hay, two pillows, and thick blankets for them to sleep on for the evening. He blinked as he felt a tap on his shoulder, and he turned to see a smiling Tanya.

"I appreciate your taking care of me," she began calmly, "and since I have not been able to feel any danger for a while, and also because the princess has indicated to me that she misses you…"

He smiled gently upon hearing that.

"…I am going to let her take over for the rest of the evening." She closed her eyes and slowly exhaled.

Cedric blinked as the girl's eyes opened again, but now it was Sofia standing before him, her familiar black and blue eyes twinkling in mirth against the dancing fire and a warm smile on her face. "Sofia…" He gasped as she grinned and tackled him into a hug, knocking him onto the plush beds of hay behind them. "This is becoming something of a habit with you," he chided playfully, laughing as he held her gently, rubbing her back as she smiled down at him.

"It was really sweet of you to look after Tanya's wellbeing while I wasn't around," she said, giggling as he blushed. She playfully ruffled his bangs before moving onto the second bed of hay, yawning and sighing before glancing at him with a proud expression.

He cleared his throat, unsure of how to respond to his partner. "Well, I, um…" He sighed, smiling gently toward her. "Let's get some rest, Sofia." He gathered the large blanket and turned away from her, covering himself with it from head to toe.

Sofia rolled her eyes playfully before smiling as she scooted her bed of hay directly beside her partner's. Satisfied, she lay down next to him, wrapping up in her own blanket before moving toward Cedric, hugging him from behind. "Good night, Cedric," she murmured softly against his back. It didn't take long before she'd fallen asleep.

Cedric lowered his blanket and turned to look at the peaceful sleeping form of his partner. His eyes softened and a small smile formed on his lips before he turned toward her slowly, careful not to wake her up. He then gently wrapped his arms around her protectively, pulling her toward him and wrapping her in his own blanket. He placed a soft kiss on her forehead as he brushed some of her loosening hair behind her ears. "Sleep well, Sofia…" He fell asleep not long after, the Amulet of Avalor around his neck shimmering softly before growing sill once again.

* * *

Back at the castle, the guards were spread around everywhere, each sharing shifts and trading out when necessary. Their eyes were keen and focused on even the smallest corners, and they were prepared for any danger that should arise as the royal family and other castle dwellers slept.

Meanwhile, in Cordelia's bedroom, a little strawberry child was nestled in a very different window seat to the one she was used to, snuggling with a strawberry plush and large pillow, her tiny body practically immersed in the heavy pink blanket. She couldn't sleep.

Cordelia had long since fallen asleep, a deep purple mask situated over her eyes and her hair in soft curlers as she dozed, oblivious to the Strawbaby and her preoccupied mind.

Nana longed to be able to sleep like that, but she just couldn't. She reached down to the black and purple necklace around her neck, which Magdalena had given her not too long ago. The mage had indicated that Nana held the key to…saving someone? Or something? Or the kingdom? She couldn't remember, but she knew it was important, and she knew it would probably be very useful whenever the time came… Whenever that was.

She gasped softly as she heard the flapping of wings, and she blinked as Wormwood landed before her, offering her a questioning stare as she released the necklace and clutched her blanket instead.

"You're still worried about Cedric and Sofia, aren't you?" he asked softly, sighing as she nodded. He understood now why everyone in the castle was so tense. The sole remaining cult of the Never Realm was after Nana, not to mention, they apparently held a grudge against the cult creation that now resided with Sofia (Tanya, that is).

Wormwood had been with the strawberry child all day, especially after Cordelia had filled him in on what was happening. It was as though his protective instincts had kicked in (finally), and he hadn't left her side since. Far be it for him to be a sentimental raven, but he had a massive soft spot for the child, which he was slowly becoming able to admit. He was worried for her, especially since she'd been so forlorn and down after her guardians had taken off to hunt and destroy the very ones who were currently after her.

In addition, she was clearly worried for everyone else, since she was the primary target, and she obviously didn't want anyone getting hurt just because of her. She hadn't been able to vocalize any of this, of course, but Wormwood knew it was weighing heavily on her mind just the same.

He fluttered closer to the child, gently nuzzling her head to try to make her feel better.

It apparently worked. Nana smiled tearily at him, giving the bird a small hug. They stayed like that for a few more moments before Wormwood cleared his throat, and she released him, blinking.

"It's time for bed, Nana," he told her quietly, smiling fondly at her as she yawned and nodded, rubbing at one of her eyes. He watched as she lay down against her fluffy pillow, and he grabbed the blanket in his beak, pulling it over the giggling little girl. He chuckled playfully at her reaction before settling down next to her as she looped one arm over him, hoping silently that, somehow, the partners would be able to be successful in their quest to stop the remaining madness of the Never Realm.

Neither Wormwood nor Nana noticed that, as they slept, both of their green and purple necklaces were glowing. Not long after, both dimmed a bit before returning stagnant, submerging the room back into the darkness of the night.

To be continued…

Next Chapter: Instinctive


	9. Instinctive

Host

Summary: Sofia was under the impression that things were getting back to normal, but that couldn't be further from the truth. What begins as a normal outing with her partner and tiny Strawbaby quickly and drastically changes gears when she becomes the unwitting host for a determined and restless spirit. (Collab with MarionetteJ2X)

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Nana and Tanya belong to MarionetteJ2X.

A/N: Whoo-hoo! Reviews are visible again! And wow, you guys. Thanks for all the comments. 😊 This chapter…will be _long_. Like, longer than the last chapter, I'm sure. Haha. We're preparing for the ultimate showdown, but we have some building to do. AND we have more interactions with Nana and Wormwood, which I'm sure will make a number of people happy. 😉 We need a series with just them: _The Adventures of the Sarcastic Raven and the Adorable Strawbaby_, brought to you by the author of _Adventures in Magic_, AquaTurquoise! …Okay, I'm done. :D lol

* * *

Chapter 9: Instinctive

* * *

The following morning, Sofia and Cedric had already begun their trek. They'd walked deeper into the forest, including areas that most people would usually tend to avoid as much as they possibly could.

Tanya had graciously agreed to let Sofia take over for now, since the princess had desired to spend more time with her partner (although it came at quite a strange time, given the circumstances). Still, their current conversation was important enough to warrant Sofia's presence rather than Tanya's at the time.

"What are we going to do, Cedric?" she asked worriedly, fear evident in her eyes and voice as she fidgeted with her hands as they walked. "We've protected Nana up until now, even at Merlin's suggestion, and we've been able to keep her safe and sound. But _this_…" She frowned as he sighed. "This is so different. They want to take our little girl and…use her powers for their own benefit. We got her _away_ from that; there's no way I'm going to let someone take her and have her immersed in that awful life again."

Cedric had meant to respond to her query, but to his surprise, she paused in her tracks a few feet behind him. He blinked and turned toward her. "Sofia?"

She was staring at the ground, tension evident in her stance. Something was obviously wrong.

The sorcerer was about to walk toward her when something wrapped around his foot, dragging him down to the ground. He groaned a bit before panicking when vines from the nearby trees began to move. Before he could retrieve his wand from his robe, he heard the swift swing of a sword, and before he knew it, his legs were freed, the vines cut to pieces. He glanced up toward Sofia in awe as he noticed that she was standing over him with Tanya's gauntlets now wrapped around her own arms for a change, and in her hands was a broad sword.

Sofia had somehow managed to unconsciously summon the sword and gauntlets, but she was also able to will them away for the time being. She then knelt next to Cedric, her hands quickly grasping his face as she frantically checked him over. "Cedric, I'm so sorry… I don't know what came over me…" She gazed at him worriedly. "I didn't…_hurt_ you, did I?"

He shook his head before slowly standing, aided by his partner. "How…? How were you able to summon those items without Tanya's interference?"

She blinked at his question. "I…have no idea, honestly." She held one hand to her head, sighing. "Even Tanya seems confused. I guess I just…wanted to protect you…"

Cedric smiled gently at her, taking her hand and squeezing it. "Instincts, hmm? Save the sorcerer at all costs?"

Sofia blushed shyly before giggling and shrugging. "Something like that."

* * *

Not long after, the partners continued deeper into the dark forest, coming across some rather interesting (albeit creepy) creatures lurking in the shadows of the trees. Some were utterly mangled beings with far too many limbs or eyes, while others were overly tall or incredibly small, each with a sinister sneer on their faces. Other creatures included a small chinchilla that morphed into a fire-breathing monster, and several combined species (lion and cheetah, zebra and coyote, etc.). Rather than speculate on the strange beings, they instead decided to hurry along, lest they become 'snacks' for the creatures. Thankfully, they hadn't been spotted…yet.

'_Princess_,' Tanya's voice came from the back of Sofia's mind, her tone warm and comforting, as if trying to soothe her worries. '_I can sense that you are both anxious and curious about the creatures you see. They are failed experiments from the Vilisators. From what I was told, the cult members would often dispose them into your realm, allowing them to wreak havoc as they pleased._'

Sofia relayed this information to Cedric, watching as he shuddered in disgust. "I know, right?"

"Ugh," Cedric groaned, shaking his head as they walked a bit more briskly. "Not exactly what I'd hoped to hear, but now that we know a bit more about this place, perhaps it's best to make this trek go a bit faster."

She nodded, struggling a bit at first to keep up with him before finding her footing. "No kidding."

After a bit more walking, eventually arriving in an area clear of the creepy creatures, the partners stopped to get some food, not to mention to simply relax and talk for a while. And of course, one topic was bound to come up.

"I wonder how Nana is," Sofia murmured as she pushed some of the few remaining pieces of food on her dish around with her fork before setting it aside.

Cedric smiled softly at her before reaching out to gently clasp her hand, grateful that she no longer wore the sharp and scary-looking gauntlets. "I'm sure she's fine." He rolled his eyes. "It's Wormwood _I'm _worried about. Or rather, the chaos he might cause without us there."

She giggled, squeezing his hand a bit. "Let's hope not. Honestly, though, I don't think you give him enough credit sometimes. He's done some really good things lately."

The sorcerer merely shrugged. "He has his moments, I suppose. I guess we'll just have to see what happens." He tried to retract his hand but found that Sofia held it a little more firmly. "Sofia?"

She offered him a soft smile, her cheeks tinged pink as she explained, "I just… I guess I wanted a little form of normalcy for a bit, and… Not having full control over my own body, despite my permission, and having those…gauntlet things sometimes…" She shrugged. "I guess I just needed at least a reminder that…everything's going to be okay."

Cedric returned her smile, placing his other hand over their clasped ones as he pressed his forehead to hers. "Everything will be fine. I promise you."

She sighed, feeling relieved to hear him say those words. "Thank you, Cedric…"

* * *

Back at the castle, everyone appeared to be going about their usual routine. Of course, the guards were still on the lookout for any danger, and they'd been told to remain on high alert until told otherwise. Meanwhile, the royal family and other inhabitants of the castle had made a point of trying to set as normal an atmosphere as possible, despite the apprehension they all felt lingering in the air.

Two castle members who were not among the crowd were Nana and Wormwood, since they had sneaked out and taken off to the hills for some fresh air. They sat together in uncomfortable silence as they stared beyond the lands of Enchancia's borders.

Wormwood frowned thoughtfully as he gazed toward the strawberry child, who didn't meet his gaze. He had no clue what to say to her for once. He also didn't inform her about what had happened to him when he'd woken up this morning…

He'd awoken to a hot sensation against his plumage, and when he'd taken a look at Woodrow's green necklace, he'd noticed that it was glowing. However, after his realization, the necklace had suddenly ceased its glowing and grown cold again, something that unnerved him even now.

However, something unbeknownst to him was that Nana had experienced the same thing, though with Magdalena's necklace instead. But since she wasn't able to speak, she couldn't exactly voice her experiences and worries to her favorite raven. And so, they sat, unmoving in that tense silence…

Wormwood, irritated with his uneasy feeling, was about to tell Nana that they should return to the castle when his necklace began glowing again, causing him to pause. "What the-?" Green eyes keen as ever, he gasped before quickly spreading his wings and hovering in the air, gently picking up a gasping Nana in his talons (much to her shock) and flying high into the air.

Nana whimpered, both scared and confused as she looked down. To her surprise and distress, she saw a couple of dark arrows piercing the ground where they'd just been. Her lips trembling in terror, she looked up to see the raven glaring in the direction of the trees.

Both gasped sharply in surprise as another arrow soared directly past them.

"Hold on tightly, Nana!" Wormwood ordered, feeling the little one grasping his talons as he quickly maneuvered through the area as they flew back toward the castle.

They were nearing their destination when Nana heard something whoosh past them. She looked back and gasped.

Wormwood, hearing her startled intake of air, turned his head, his eyes widening in horror as he saw multiple arrows darting straight toward them. "I can't dodge them quickly enough, Nana," he told the girl apologetically, bracing himself for impact. "I'm so sorry…"

Nana tightly shut her eyes, tears forming in the corners, as she also awaited the inevitable.

Suddenly, their necklaces both began glowing, enveloping them both in a mix of green and purple light. Once the arrows struck the glowing barrier, they disappeared. Confused, Nana and Wormwood watched the same arrows reappear and face the other direction toward the trees, zooming in that direction. Other arrows ricocheted off the barrier and darted back toward the trees as well.

They were astonished when they were able to hear the sound of screaming and bodies thudding to the ground. The barrier soon disappeared, which only served to confuse the raven and Strawbaby even more.

Seeing Nana's perplexed expression as she looked up at him, Wormwood frowned. "We'll ask questions later," he insisted. "I'd rather not linger here in case more attacks come our way." With that, he quickly flew back to the castle, swooping in through the opened front door (through which a few guards had entered). He then hurried to the throne room, disregarding the startled yelps and queries about why he was carrying Nana. Couldn't these people see that he was busy?

"Wormwood!" Roland gasped as he quickly stood from his throne, retrieving Nana from his grasp as he stared uneasily at the former villain. "What in the world are you doing flying Nana around? Cordelia was looking for her earlier, and she even practically had a search party set up." He checked over the little girl to make sure she was all right, and seeing no harm done, he sighed in relief.

Wormwood frowned as he landed atop the king's throne, sighing. "Apologies for the scare, King Roland." Even _he _couldn't believe he'd just said that to someone he'd once considered his biggest enemy, not to mention, a blockade in his quest for power. But…times had changed, and so had he. "The long story short is that I took Nana out to the hills to get some air, but we were chased down by a plethora of arrows. While we were able to dodge them, I fear that we may be under attack."

"Are you sure?" Seeing the bird nod, Roland turned toward the door. "Guards!" Watching at least four men run into the room, he redelivered the information he'd just received from Wormwood. "We must put a stop to this. Wormwood, I want you to lead us to where the attackers resided."

"Very well, Your Majesty."

Amber stepped into the throne room, looking a bit fatigued as she did so. It was clear that she was nearing the end of her pregnancy, with a little over two months left, but she seemed a bit more tired than usual. "Daddy? What's going on? I heard you yelling when I was walking down the stairs."

"I'm sorry, Amber," he quickly told her as he walked to his oldest child, carefully offering the strawberry girl to her. He smiled as Amber blinked before holding the little one in her arms. "I need to help the guards find some attackers. Please watch Nana."

"Attackers?" She looked down at the shaking girl in her arms before gently rubbing her back, trying to console her as best as she could. "Calm down, sweetie. It's okay. Auntie Amber's got you…"

As Roland, the guards, and Wormwood left, Nana sniffled as she leaned against Amber's shoulder. She looked down at her necklace, noticing that it seemed stable, unlike earlier. After listening to Amber's soothing voice humming a soft song to her, she finally drifted off to sleep.

* * *

A while later, the guards, along with Roland and Wormwood, returned to the throne room. At this point, Amber and Nana were joined by the rest of the family and members of the castle.

Nana looked up as she saw Wormwood flying a bit haphazardly before landing none too smoothly or gracefully on the marble floor, exhaustion evident in his mannerisms and features. She wriggled a bit in Amber's hold until the princess gently lowered her to the floor, where she took off running to her feathered friend. She lowered next to him, hugging him tightly but not enough to cut off his air supply.

"Nana," the raven sighed, barely able to brush his wing against the little girl's arm. He could feel her trembling as she held him. "It's all right, little one," he murmured softly so only she could hear.

While still holding onto the raven, Nana was able to use her magic to transfer some energy back to him. She smiled in relief when he stirred a bit more, and she released him, carefully cupping his head in her tiny hands.

Wormwood smiled at her. "Thank you, Nana."

"We have bad news," Roland informed the others solemnly, glancing toward the guards and nodding as they withdrew black hoods from their sides, displaying them to the royals and other castle dwellers.

"What are those?" James asked, blinking.

"Their energy feels familiar," Angel mumbled seriously.

"When we arrived where the raven took us," one of the guards began, "all we discovered were these dark hoods, some ashes, and a few black arrows piercing them. No bodies left to be found…"

While the others seemed perplexed and/or confused, Nana and Wormwood knew, unlike everyone else, that anyone who came in contact with dark magic (such as the Never Realm cult members) would be cursed to disintegrate to ash when they perished.

"I'll be honest with you all," Roland told everyone, garnering their attention. "I'm worried that these enemies might come back. Given what Tanya told us…" He shook his head before turning to the guards. "I want everyone to continue the heightened guarding; half of you will surround the castle, and the rest of you will hunt down this enemy. Alert me _immediately _if there are _any _signs of danger."

"Yes, King Roland!" they echoed.

"Dad," James spoke up as he and Desmond stepped forward. "Des and I will guard the castle doors while you guys get some rest and while the guards are doing their part."

The king nodded, just a bit uncertain, given that these two were his son and son-in-law. But still, he knew they'd be well prepared. "Very well."

Amber appeared to be worried, though she smiled as Desmond walked over to her and carefully placed one hand on her stomach and kissed the chartreuse fabric that protected their child, before then kissing her softly on the lips and whispering something that made her nod. As her brother and husband left (and not long after, everyone else as well), she then reached down as far as she could, giggling as Nana jumped into her arms. She turned to the raven next. "You're welcome to ride on my shoulder if you want, Wormwood."

The raven was taken aback. He and the older princess had never seen eye to eye before, and even after all the changes and betterment on both their parts, they still hadn't communicated as much as he had with Sofia. So for Amber to just offer him her shoulder was a huge deal, and quite a humbling honor, at that. Still… "I appreciate it, Princess Amber," he began professionally, "but I am all right to fly now. Thanks to Nana." He nodded toward the little girl, who was now sitting on the future queen's shoulder. However, upon seeing the child's pouting face, he sighed and rolled his eyes. "Very well… I suppose, this once…" He alighted onto Amber's free shoulder, inwardly grimacing at how soft he'd gotten over the years…and loving it all the same. "Thank you, Princess Amber, for the kind gesture…"

She nodded. "You've done a lot for us these last few years. Don't think they've gone unnoticed." With nothing else to say, she turned and walked out of the throne room with them.

...

* * *

Heavy footfalls crunched against the fallen autumn leaves beneath sturdy purple boots and black work flats. Erratic breathing and panting could be heard as the earth beneath those shoes became a bit displaced, disturbed by the incursion.

Cedric followed Sofia through the forest, trying his best to keep up with her as they ran. They'd only recently finished their short break when they'd encountered what appeared to be a very _big _Venus Flytrap-esque creature. Except this thing had _legs_ and had apparently _possibly_ been following them the entire time they'd been there. Since the partners hadn't been able to process anything except their common sense telling them to 'run,' that's precisely what they did.

Sofia stopped quickly, grabbing Cedric's arm and pulling him behind her. She activated Tanya's Deathbringer and instantly obliterated the creature on the spot.

Cedric whimpered in alarm from behind her, his hands gripping her shoulders as he lowered his head next to hers, his breathing beginning to slow but his heart still racing from adrenaline. "Is it…gone?"

She smiled sarcastically, turning to smirk at him as she caught her breath. "Yes, O Fearless One." She deactivated the gauntlets before turning fully toward her friend, placing one hand on his head, running her fingers through his somewhat dampened hair to calm him down. "Are you okay?"

He nodded, though he still felt uneasy and wobbly due to running so far and so fast. "Y-Yes… I think so, anyway."

She lowered her hand and grasped his hand instead. "Let's keep going. It's going to start getting dark soon, and we need to find some place to stay."

Cedric had finally calmed down enough to smile at her, receiving one from her in return. "Right… Right."

* * *

A few more hours passed by, and it was now growing dark. The Enchancian duo was exhausted, having overexerted themselves by running earlier, and not having the chance to stop for food or water yet.

"We need to call it a night," Sofia declared determinedly as she stopped, Cedric nearly running into her as she did. She pointed toward a clump of trees and a raised landform. "I think that's a cave over there. Come on." She took his arm and pulled him toward the area she'd pointed out.

Cedric blinked as they stood before a moderately small cave, still big enough for the both of them but definitely on the shallow side, as it didn't extend very far back. "I suppose…this will do."

She nodded. "It's going to have to." She glanced up when she heard a clap of thunder, the residual echo spreading across the sky. "Let's get inside." She withdrew her wand and conjured a few blankets for them to sit on.

The sorcerer repeated her actions but created a wood-based fire instead. He helped her step into the cave first, careful not to touch the flames, and followed her inside next.

They both leaned back against the cave wall on the blankets, the fire on the opposite side of the cave, strong enough for them to begin feeling some heat. Thankfully, they'd settled in just in time as a sheet of rain began falling outside. It wasn't too heavy, but it also wasn't something they'd want to travel in.

Cedric next conjured them some food and goblets of water, which they both began consuming in comfortable silence, save for the steady pouring of the rain and the crackling of the fire.

"I had an uneasy feeling when we were walking a few hours ago," Sofia admitted several minutes later once they'd finished their meals. She turned toward Cedric as he looked at her. "My first thoughts were of Nana and Wormwood, and that scared me a bit. But…the feeling disappeared soon after and I felt okay again, like something had lifted from my heart. I know that nothing bad has happened to them, but I'm not sure…_how_ I know that." She clasped her hands together and sighed. "Even Tanya told me…" She lifted a hand to her head, as if to point to her mind, where Tanya currently resided "…She told me that she felt a powerful pull of magic. I just don't know what that means."

Cedric sat silently, absorbing all of the princess's information and trying to deduce its meaning. Was it possible that some of the cult had infiltrated the kingdom with the intent to search for Nana, but before they could be successful, someone or something had stopped them, eradicating them? Or could they be in hiding to recover from potential wounds, after which they'd try again later? He hesitantly shared his concerns with Sofia, who closed her eyes and sighed.

"I really hope not… I hope my fears are just that: fears. This is one thing I don't want to be right about…"

"I know, my dear." He clambered to his feet, having to stoop over a bit due to the lower ceiling of the cave, and waved his wand once. The fire went out, and the kindling disappeared. Next, he conjured a larger bed of hay than the previous night, covering it with a few blankets. He gestured toward the bed, nodding to himself as Sofia carefully crawled onto it.

Sofia lay on her side, staring at the wall with many thoughts racing through her mind. She wondered about her family and friends back in Enchancia. She wondered about the mission she and Cedric were on. She wondered about Tanya. She wondered…about so many things. She sighed as Cedric lay down next to her before tugging some warm blankets over them. She smiled as she heard him sigh heavily behind her.

"Good night, Sofia."

"Good night, Cedric…" His steady breathing told her that he'd already begun drifting into the world of sleep. She envied him that, because all she could really think about at that point was the safety of her loved ones and the possibilities… What would happen?

She gasped softly when she felt arms encircling her, holding her protectively. She glanced back and smiled, giggling softly as she saw her partner sleeping contentedly. She turned toward him, snuggling into his side and resting her head on his chest, before finally allowing her weary mind to take a break for the night. She fell asleep.

...

* * *

_Creaking. Dripping. Ripping. Tearing. Pouring. Screaming…_

_And red. So much red…_

_Evil laughter. "You thought you were done with the Never Realm, Princess Sofia?"_

_A sharp gasp._

"_You still have __**much **__to learn… But how shall we teach you? How about your friends and family? How about…your little Strawbaby?" Wicked, deep, awful cackling—_

...

* * *

Sofia gasped sharply as she darted up from her spot, alarming Cedric in the process as she doubled over, coughing and trying to catch her breath. Judging by the lack of light, it was either very late at night or very early in the morning, or both. But something was off, and she knew it.

"Sofia! What's the matter?" He blinked as Sofia finally ceased her coughing fit and sat up straight, turning toward him, her blue eyes now replaced with those serious purple ones. He frowned. If Tanya was back, then he knew something was _very_ wrong. He stood up, pulling her to her feet. Before he could say a word, she drew her fists together, her Deathbringer appearing on her wrists again.

"We need to go," she told him firmly, causing him to nod nervously as he followed her out of the cave.

It had stopped raining, but the ground was still soggy as they hurried along. A sharp screech, a roar, and a howl made both of them stop in their tracks.

Cedric's eyes widened as he looked around them. Several failed experiments from the Vilisators were surrounding them now, their fangs glistening in the moonlight, or their sharp claws pawing at the ground and against boulders, or their forms contorted in ways that made him very uncomfortable. "W-What do they want?"

Tanya scowled as she powered up her gauntlets. "Us."

To be continued…

Next Chapter: Contested


	10. Contested

Host

Summary: Sofia was under the impression that things were getting back to normal, but that couldn't be further from the truth. What begins as a normal outing with her partner and tiny Strawbaby quickly and drastically changes gears when she becomes the unwitting host for a determined and restless spirit. (Collab with MarionetteJ2X)

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Nana and Tanya belong to MarionetteJ2X.

A/N: Final chapter! Prepare for a showdown and some pretty heavy, emotional, and (most likely) unexpected stuff! 😉 And of course, a resolution. Also, keep an eye out for Sofia's birthday story TODAY—hopefully, lol! :D Our princess will be 19 in my stories! O.o *claps happily* Yay! Lol! Happy Birthday, Sofia! 😊

* * *

Chapter 10: Contested

* * *

"Stand back, Cedric," Tanya warned as she held out her arms.

"I want to help you," he argued, trying to move closer to her. He blinked in surprise when she whirled toward him, holding the end of one of the gauntlets directly at his face, hovering only mere inches away. He swallowed nervously. "You… You don't scare me."

She smiled wryly. "I don't intend to. I mean to keep you safe. Although I do not know you well, your princess does. And she has asked me to make sure that you do not get hurt. And if that means using force, so be it."

He narrowed his eyes at her. "Isn't that counterproductive?"

She turned back around, her hands extended before her once again. "Just appease Princess Sofia, please, and stay back."

Cedric sighed. "Fine." For Sofia's sake, he'd stay out of the way as much as he could. But should Tanya appear as though she needed help, he wouldn't hesitate to jump in. For whatever reason, he felt protective of her, although they'd only recently met a few days ago, never mind the fact that she was a dark product of the mostly defunct Never Realm. She wasn't Sofia, but she'd been working with her, and while she wasn't Nana either, she definitely had a similar background. Perhaps that was his soft spot now…

Tanya lunged toward the creatures, quickly kicking a few of them down into submission. Another creature, one that was half coyote and half zebra, tried to ensnare her with its teeth, but she powerfully punched the experiment across the mouth and knocked out all of its teeth (and fangs). She then finished the job by kicking it and splitting its body in half, killing it.

Another experimental creature tried to capture her in a powerful set of chains, the likes of which were now wrapped around her neck, starting to choke her (which Cedric took notice of and was about to stop if she didn't do something). Tanya coughed a few times before quickly grasping the links, willing some of her powers to act like a stream of electricity, pulsating along the length until it zapped the creature and fried it to death.

The physical combat with the creatures continued until the former Never Realm member realized how tired she was growing. No, how tired _Sofia's_ _body_ was growing. She needed to wrap this up.

She unleashed a forceful blast from the Deathbringer, fully eliminating about half of the failed experiments at once, their ashes absorbing into her gauntlets' orbs soon after. While there were really no memories or ideas to collect, this was the best way to keep the remnants contained. She unleashed another blast, completely destroying any of the rest of them on the spot, again absorbing their ashes.

"Oh, Tanya," a saccharine, chiding voice called out as a cloaked cult member phased into existence, followed by several others (in total, there were approximately twenty Vilisators present). The man beneath the hooded cloak had the same shade of purple eyes as Tanya, as did the others beginning to surround her and Cedric. However, this man seemed to have deathly white skin, his veins as black as midnight and his dark lips forever in a permanent sneer or smirk.

"What do you want of us, Vadim?" the woman demanded, snarling at the clear leader of the group. "Is it not enough that you killed Victor, simply because he wanted to protect me from the likes of you?" She could feel her anger welling up within her, her eyes practically glistening with both tears and an eerie glow. "That you killed _me_, thereby forcing me to search high and low for a willing host to house my spirit so that I can get my revenge?" She fisted her hands, causing her gauntlets to glow brighter. "And I _will _be getting my revenge. I swear to you."

"That is an interesting claim for an experiment," Vadim derided, noticing how the woman seemed to be growing even angrier. "You were not _born_, Tanya. You were _created_. Created to take orders, to do our bidding, and to _destroy_." He nodded discreetly toward a few of the other members, who slowly inched closer toward the duo on all sides. "And while I may not be able to kill _you_ again, you have brought me two perfect substitutions: a powerful princess…and a sacrificial sorcerer."

Cedric cried out in pain as one of the cult members stabbed him in the side with a sharp gauntlet of his own, twisting the weapon a bit before pulling down, practically ripping the sorcerer's side open. When the weapon was retracted, he fell to the ground, blood seeping from his wound and his eyes wrenching closed as he began breathing shallowly.

"CEDRIC!" Sofia's voice came through, despite the fact that Tanya was fronting for the time being. When her eyes closed and then reopened, something occurred that had not happened yet: the right eye was purple…but the left eye was blue. _Both _girls were now in charge.

While Cedric lay in a critically injured state on the ground, the Amulet of Avalor around his neck began to steadily glow.

"You will pay for that!" Sofia yelled, lifting her left hand and summoning the same sword she'd previously beckoned forth.

Tanya quickly lifted her right hand, gripping the end of the sword. "Princess Sofia, keep a steady mind," she warned, trying to talk some sense into her host. "I realize you are angry, and I am as well, but we must be smart about this. We can both get our revenge."

The princess scowled, lunging forward and swinging the sword, striking two members at once and breathing heavily. "I'd rather just destroy the rest of the Never Realm."

The spirit finally sighed and nodded, reaching out with her right hand and smiting the two members, collecting their ashes in the pulsing red orbs on the Deathbringer.

Vadim, the leader of the Vilisators, smirked and laughed darkly as he and the remaining members began hovering around them, as if taunting them. "If it is a challenge you want, allow us to oblige." He yelled forcefully as he held out a glowing orb of energy, hurling it toward Sofia and Tanya, who dodged it quickly. "You will not be so lucky next time!" And again, he and his fellow cult members began charging against the girls, who set to slicing and smiting the members as best as they could.

And as they did, the Amulet of Avalor glowed even stronger.

* * *

Back in Enchancia, Wormwood and Nana were in Amber's and Desmond's room, but the couple had stepped out for just a few minutes to take care of some business, leaving the bird and the little girl on their bed after telling them not to move.

They'd obeyed up until now, when both of their necklaces began glowing immensely, before falling into a strong pulsation pattern.

"Something is wrong," Wormwood told the girl, frowning as he glanced toward Nana, who stared at him with her wide green eyes. "I'm willing to bet… Cedric and Sofia need our help. But…how do we even find them?"

Nana gasped in awe as her necklace lifted up from its spot and began hovering in midair, tugging at her neck. She looked down and noticed Wormwood's necklace doing the same thing. Since she was so little and didn't have much force to fight against it, she felt it pulling her off the bed. She grabbed the bedpost and slid down it before following her necklace's summons toward the door.

Wormwood grunted as his own necklace tugged at his neck harshly, guiding him in the same direction. "All right, all right!" he snapped, flying after the strawberry girl. "I'm coming!"

The necklaces led them both outside, and noticing that they seemed to be heading in the same direction Cedric and Sofia had gone a few days ago, the two unlikely friends exchanged knowing silent glances.

Nana swiftly hopped on Wormwood's back and held on tightly as he lifted into the air, flying as quickly as his wings would allow him to go.

* * *

Once they arrived in the forest, Tanya and Sofia were still fighting against the cult members (mostly either kicking them with brute force, using the Deathbringer to fully eliminate the enemy, or some sort of combination of both).

Wormwood landed next to Cedric, who was clearly very badly injured. "Cedric…" He carefully nuzzled his friend's cheek to get him to stir, but it didn't seem to help. He was still silent and unmoving.

Nana hopped down off the bird's back and rushed over to her guardian's side, her little hands covering his wounded side as best as she could. She'd not seen _that _much blood before…She whimpered as she looked around her, noticing just how much of that sticky red substance she was now sitting in. Did he even _have _any blood left in him? With that panicked thought, she concentrated all her powers on the sorcerer, her tears flowing freely down her face as she did so.

"What do we have here?!" one of the members cackled as he turned toward the newcomers, those creepy purple eyes practically beaming with excitement. "More prey!" He held up a hand to attack.

Wormwood gasped, instinctively brushing his wing against his necklace, which activated and somehow covered him, Nana, and Cedric in a protective shield. Despite the situation, he sarcastically remarked, "That'll come in handy when I see a child with sticky fingers approaching." He shuddered at the memory involving none other than Prince Corban, before turning back toward Nana. His eyes softened as he noticed the girl seeming to grow weary and possibly weaker. "Hang in there, little one…"

Nana glanced toward him, nodding, before returning her attention to her guardian.

"Tanya, there!" Sofia called as her body shifted to the left, and together they used the sword to take down three more members at a time, including the one who'd tried to attack Nana and Wormwood. "Are there anymore?"

"Just one." Tanya turned back around, facing the slowly clapping Vadim. Her brow furrowed as she clutched her end of the sword, her wrist flexing a bit in the Deathbringer gauntlet. "You…"

"Me," the leader jeered, slowly beginning to walk toward the princess and her resident. "You've successfully eliminated the Vilisators. Congratulations. You must be proud." He leaped forward, tightly grasping Sofia's neck, beginning to choke both girls. He grinned as they struggled to breathe, both trying their best to free themselves from his grip. "You know, usually I'm the 'kill with magic' type, or 'the bloodier, the merrier' type… But there's something special about literally taking someone else's very life into your own hands…and making it disappear forever."

"Sofia!" Wormwood called out in anguish, trying to deactivate his barrier around the three of them. Nothing was working. "Ohh, hang on, Princess! I'll figure something out!"

"Y-You're forgetting one thing," Sofia struggled to say as she gasped for air.

"Oh, really," Vadim chortled lowly, leering at the two (in one) before him. "And what might that be?"

Tanya spoke up this time, her alto timber sounding more serious and dangerous than ever, "Even death cannot stop me from avenging my master, and the love of my life." With the leader distracted by her words, she snapped his wrist backwards, smirking in satisfaction as she heard the _crunch_ of the bones as he screamed in a very _human _way. She then kicked him in the chest, knocking him to the ground. She stood over the last member of the Vilisators cult, her hands extended toward him. "I wish I could rip you to shreds. I wish I could drain every last ounce of blood from your body, grind up your bones, smash your organs until they explode, and section off your limbs to feed to the wolves."

"And why don't you?" he challenged, though he could tell that he was shaking due to his injury, not to mention having the wind knocked out of him.

"Because Victor taught me better than that… And doing that to you would smear his name and message, and it would make me no better than you." She glared down at him, her eyes flashing only purple now, as Sofia had taken a backseat. "And I am _not _you. I may not use that method, but I swore my revenge, and I shall have it." With one swift swing, she lowered her sword, the powerful item slicing clear through Vadim's body and instantly converting it to ashes, which she yet again absorbed in the Deathbringer.

It was over. All over…

Cedric slowly began stirring as he felt a familiar warmth against his side, and as he opened his eyes, he groaned. "What happened?"

Nana, relieved that her healing magic worked, threw herself at her guardian and hugged him tightly. She cried softly into his robe, sniffling as he tenderly rubbed her back and tried to soothe her fears.

"It's all right, Nana," he whispered, kissing her head as he steadily rocked her. He then noticed Wormwood sitting nearby, his feathers coated in blood. "Wormwood! Are you all right? What happened? Why is there blood all over you?"

The raven blinked at him. "It's…_your_ blood, Cedric…" He turned and looked away, trying not to allow any overwhelming emotions to well up within him (and failing miserably). "Those cult members, um… They evidently showed you no mercy, and…"

Cedric's gaze softened as he listened to his familiar.

"If it weren't for Nana, you'd probably…be gone." That reality was overwhelming for some reason. Wormwood realized then and there how much he'd actually _miss _Cedric if he were to… He gasped when he felt a hand gently stroking his feathers. He blinked up at Cedric, who just smiled at him.

"It's all right, Wormy…"

Wormwood smiled with a bitter laugh. "…I both hate and love that nickname now…" He shook his head as Cedric chuckled. "I'm…glad you're all right, Cedric. Just…don't do anything stupid like getting in the way of a dangerous cult again."

The sorcerer scoffed. "Right. Like I had a choice…" He returned to comforting his charge before slowly standing to his feet. He winced as he did so. Nana may have healed him to the best of her ability, but he could still feel the wooziness, the original cut, and the stickiness from his blood on him. He disregarded that and waved his free hand toward Sofia, who was staring ahead. "Sofia!"

The princess didn't respond. Instead, she closed her eyes and exhaled slowly. And this time, the markings on her body and Deathbringer disappeared altogether. When she opened her eyes once more, they were entirely normal again. She turned to her side, smiling as she saw the spiritual form of Tanya beside her. "Tanya…"

Tanya looked exhausted, and she even seemed to be in pain as she slowly but surely began to disappear before their very eyes. She didn't even seem to have the strength to speak anymore…

"W-What's going on?" Sofia asked, though she wasn't sure if anyone would hear her. She gasped as she felt a hand on her shoulder, and she turned, seeing Cedric there. He looked worse for wear, but he was _alive_. She threw her arms around him, trying her best to avoid his injury, and placed several kisses on his cheeks and forehead, causing him to blush but laugh at the same time. "I'm so glad you're all right," she shuddered out in a tired sigh, holding him gently.

Cedric smiled before unlatching the amulet around his neck, returning it to its rightful owner, clasping it around Sofia's neck. "There… That's better." He gently caressed her cheek as she giggled.

She then noticed Nana reaching over to her, and she smiled. "Nana? How did you get here, sweetie?" She looked up as she saw a familiar dark bird flying around them. "Wormwood?" She gasped in realization. "You carried her all the way here?"

Wormwood shrugged as he landed on Cedric's shoulder. "I didn't have much of a choice… Our necklaces practically pulled us here." He nodded toward the amulet around the princess's neck. "I think it was your amulet that led us here."

"They're connected?" Cedric asked in shock.

"They are _now_…"

After their brief exchange, the quartet turned back to Tanya, watching helplessly as she slowly continued fading away.

"This isn't fair," Sofia told them, her voice thick with emotion. "She barely got a chance to _live_, and now she has to _die_?"

Before she could say much else, they watched as the Amulet of Avalor activated, along with Wormwood's and Nana's necklaces, making Tanya's spirit stable for the time being. However, Nana's necklace was slowly beginning to absorb Tanya's spirit, little by little. No one was sure how or why, but…

Suddenly, the air around them started to change, and a new presence—both familiar and unfamiliar—began surrounding them. It wasn't malicious at all, either. In fact, it felt like they were all being hugged by something warm and comforting.

The Enchancian group exchanged glances before looking back toward Tanya, who'd begun sniffling and crying, evidently recognizing whatever presence was surrounding them.

Not long after, another spirit appeared before them all. He had soft blue-green eyes filled with kindness, jet-black hair, a dark tunic and slacks, and matching shoes.

Tanya seemed to forget that she was in pain (or that she was being pulled into Nana's necklace) as she darted toward the other spirit, breaking the pull of the necklace and laughing in disbelief as she wrapped him in a hug. "I cannot believe it," she sobbed into his tunic. "Victor…"

"Victor!" The others were clearly surprised. Tanya's deceased master and love? The one she wanted to avenge? The one who was enveloping her in the warmest of hugs?

Silence washed over them all until Tanya began speaking, her voice projected from Nana's necklace instead of her spirit form now. "I am forever grateful for everything you all have done," she began calmly, the necklace pulsating every time she spoke. "Princess Sofia, I am sincerely honored and humbled that you allowed me to work with you, side by side." She smiled gently toward the other girl, who nodded with a sweet smile. "I will never forget you for that. And Cedric, your kindness and cautiousness meant the world to me."

The sorcerer nodded, though he was actually trying to hold back any tears. Tanya had truly grown on him the last few days, and he didn't really want to see her go so soon. But…

"Little Nana and Wormwood… You two have been true heroes…" She sighed as she leaned against Victor. "But I have never felt so exhausted in my entire existence. I believe I need to gain some energy before I can communicate with you all again."

Victor smiled toward his love, hugging her gently, though he recognized that any pressure on her body might be too painful. "I am so proud of you, Tanya," he murmured, his hands playing with the hair tied to either side of her head. "You were so brave defeating the last members of the Never Realm."

Tanya blushed modestly at his praises before he turned his attention toward the Enchancian crew.

"I offer you my sincere gratitude for looking after my Tanya."

The other spirit had been about to say something when another wave of pain shot through her, making the others reach out toward her in concern.

Victor held her securely. "She will not last long in this world," he explained to the confused quartet. "She's different from a normal human being, although she does possess human qualities. A human soul is no different from Tanya's. However, once she disappears, you will all forget that she even existed."

Sofia seemed to be astonished, her mouth dropping open. "What?"

Cedric frowned. "I've heard about situations like that…"

Victor nodded. "It is the one downside to Tanya's whole being. She is fated to be forgotten…"

"Cedric," Sofia mumbled, latching onto his arm on his unharmed side. She felt tears welling up as Nana crawled up and sat on her shoulder.

"It is fine," Tanya finally announced, shaking her head. "I will accept this fate. Even if I lived like a normal human being, no one would ever accept me as I am…"

Victor sighed, gently stroking her hair as she leaned against his shoulder and cried before wincing from her pain.

Sofia was about to step toward the spirits, but her amulet suddenly began glowing. She turned toward Nana and Wormwood, noticing that, once again, _their_ necklaces were glowing. "We really _are _connected…"

The light from each of the necklaces created one beam of light, all pointing straight at Tanya. Victor had to step back, and he smiled. He knew what was happening.

The others stared in awe as magic surrounded Tanya, enveloping her.

Tanya gasped, feeling her pain completely disappear. She blinked as Victor, who was now slowly fading, hugged her again. "Victor…?"

"This magic will give you a second chance of living without the cult's interference, my love…"

She gaped at him, her purple eyes watering. "But… I would have to live without you, would I not?" She shook her head as he sighed and nodded. "Victor, no…"

"I will still be with you," he told her, "but you won't see me. I just want you to have a good life. Promise me that you will live it to the fullest…for me."

Tanya sniffled and nodded. "I… I promise." She nearly sobbed as he lowered down and kissed her softly on the lips…for the first and final time.

Sofia held her hands to her heart, blushing and sighing in content, while her partner flushed and looked elsewhere, uncomfortably fidgeting a bit, though he was happy for the spirits' reunion. Meanwhile, Wormwood and Nana looked toward Cedric and Sofia before exchanging glances with each other, smiles on their faces.

Victor smiled at Tanya as they parted and then at the others as he continued fading. "I am very grateful to all of you for taking care of Tanya." He then whispered to the woman before him, "I love you, Tanya…" With that, he disappeared.

Tanya's spiritual form suddenly morphed into a glowing orb with the combination of pink, purple, and green gradient colors swirling around her. It then began to move toward Nana, and the orb was soon absorbed into Nana's necklace. It pulsed there for a bit before calming down.

"Wait…" Wormwood frowned. "Didn't we just hear that she was supposed to get a second chance? How does living in Nana's necklace constitute a second chance?" He rolled his eyes. "Read the fine print, people."

As if on cue, Nana's necklace reacted, and out of it appeared a much smaller version of Tanya. She looked to be about eight years old. Her snowy white hair was down, reaching just past her waist. Her ears were still pointed and partially obscured by her hair. Her eyes were still purple, but she now possessed whites of her eyes instead of the darkness. She also still had those purple lines running down her arms and legs, and the markings on her face as well. Her long-sleeved plum colored dress with little white designs reached just past her knees. She wore a silver necklace around her neck, bracelets on her wrists (which were actually the Deathbringer, still in the original color of silver, black, and red), and silver anklets on her ankles above her bare feet (which Victor had apparently left as a gift prior to leaving; they would be able to help her jump high, deliver strong and swift kicks, and run faster than she already could).

"A-Are you…?" Sofia asked nervously, kneeling next to the little girl. "Tanya?"

Little Tanya smiled gently, nodding. "I am!" She giggled happily, sighing. "I am free, Princess Sofia!"

"Just…Sofia," she corrected, laughing softly. "If you're going to be with Nana a lot, there's no need for formalities." She winked. "You're family now."

Tanya blinked at the princess's words. "Family…?" She tilted her head. "What is that?"

"Oh, boy," Cedric groaned, rubbing his temple. "I think we're going to have a lot of work to do…"

* * *

***Epilogue—sort of***

Adjusting to life with Tanya wasn't as difficult as they had assumed it would be. She was able to go in and out of Nana's necklace whenever she wanted to. However, there was a catch: she was only able to be in a child form most of the time. If a battle ever ensued and she needed to be part of it, she could turn into her adult form.

Living in Nana's necklace was like having her own bedroom (in the strangest of ways, of course). Also, since she was now predominantly a child, she did have a few childish antics. She loved to play with Nana and any other children. No longer a spirit but rather a living and breathing person, Tanya was able to start her life over, as promised. She also had a benefit of living in Nana's necklace: she was able to understand what Nana wanted to say but couldn't—sort of like acting as a voice for her whenever she needed it. So whatever Nana couldn't say, Tanya would say for her.

* * *

One night, Sofia had just finished reading Nana (and Tanya, sort of) a bedtime story when she heard a knock at her door. She smiled. "Come in."

Nana beamed and waved happily as she saw Cedric walking inside, maneuvering over to the girls. She giggled as he leaned down and gently hugged her, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

"Ready for bed then?" he asked playfully, receiving nods from the other two. He blinked. "So… Tanya doesn't sleep out here?"

Sofia shook her head. "No…" She gently tapped the strawberry girl's necklace. "She stays in here."

"Oh, I see…" He sighed. "Still trying to get used to these new changes." He smiled softly as the princess laughed. "What's so funny?"

"Oh, nothing…" She shrugged. "It's just… Do you remember when I played that game with you a long time ago, where we predicted our futures? You know, jobs, homes, children…?" She gently gathered Nana into her arms as he nodded curiously. "I said I thought…" She blushed. "I thought two would be a good number." She laughed. "I technically do have two now, as a guardian." She smiled mischievously as she poked his chest. "Actually, _we_ have two children."

He blinked before blushing modestly. "Sofia…"

She grinned, leaning toward him playfully. "I _do_ remember telling you that we would always be together, no matter what. Looks like I was right." She then sighed, smiling softly. "It's unconventional, and even a little confusing sometimes, but…" She shrugged. "I think that works for us. Don't you?"

Cedric nodded, chuckling softly. "For _us_, yes…" He then winced a little bit, rubbing at his side. "Hmm."

Sofia frowned. "Let me see." She carefully untied his robe before slipping it down his arms, allowing it to pool behind him. She then gently pulled his shirt up a bit, her finger tracing down his side, where both magical and physical stitches were. She noticed that he jumped when she traced it and she glanced up at him. "Does it still hurt?"

He nodded. "Y-Yes… But…it's getting better, little by little."

Sofia smiled, lowering his shirt again before helping him tug his robe back on. "Glad to hear it." She leaned forward, hugging him, sighing happily as he returned the affection. "Good night, Cedric."

He chuckled before kissing the princess's forehead. "Sleep well, Sofia." He reached over and ruffled Nana's hair, causing her to giggle softly. "You too, Nana." He even carefully tapped the necklace around the little girl's neck. "You too, Tanya."

"Thank you, Cedric," the former spirit's voice came from the necklace, sounding sleepy but happy. "Good night."

Cedric finished his evening routine before heading back to his own room. The girls settled down and drifted off to sleep.

Tanya, in her own little room inside Nana's necklace (as hard as that might have been to fathom), reclined on her comfy plum-colored bedding, a smile etched across her face. She was happy. For once, she was really and truly happy. She missed Victor, for sure, but he'd given her a gift: a chance at a new life to experience new things, to have new adventures, to have (What was it that Cedric had called it?) a family… That sounded nice. She'd never experienced having a family before…

As she drifted off to sleep, she pondered what sorts of things awaited her in this new life.

She didn't know it yet, but the real adventure had only just begun.

The end

* * *

**PS: Everyone explained the situation to the rest of the Enchancian crew, so they wouldn't be upset for Nana and Wormwood leaving without warning. lol And things went back to relatively normal, including the guards going missing every now and then again. ;p You know, Cedric's favorite running gag. :D Anyway! I hope y'all enjoyed this. I will try my hardest to get Sofia's birthday story out today! :) Wish me luck. Haha.**


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